US Senate moves to restrict Trump’s authority on Iran military action
The Senate previously rejected these initiatives seven times (Photo: Getty Images)
The US Senate voted 50 to 47 to advance a measure that would require Congressional approval for any future military action against Iran. Four Republicans supported the Democrats, including Bill Cassidy, who voted against the party line for the first time, according to CNN.
What happened
The measure moved forward despite the Senate having previously rejected similar initiatives seven times. Voting in favor were Republicans Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy. Democrat John Fetterman, on the other hand, joined the Republicans and voted "against."
Will this become law?
The final adoption of the measure is unlikely — during the vote, several Republican senators were absent due to election campaigns in their home states.
Republican Majority Leader John Thune noted that most of his members are not insisting on a vote on war powers.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced in April that Democrats would bring war powers issues to a vote every week — as long as the Senate is in session.
The Senate is the upper house of the US Congress, consisting of 100 senators — two from each of the 50 states. The Senate has the authority to approve or restrict the president's military actions.
Pressure on Iran is intensifying from multiple sides. The US has imposed sanctions on tankers and Iran's currency exchange as part of the Economic Fury campaign — attempting to force Tehran back to the negotiating table.
In Israel, meanwhile, there are fears that Trump might strike a compromise deal with Tehran without resolving key security issues. At the same time, Washington is considering a partial easing of oil sanctions against Iran during negotiations — if it helps advance dialogue on the nuclear program.
