Senate Narrowly Votes Down Advancing Resolution To Rein In Trump's War Powers Days After 60-Day Ceasefire Announced

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The Senate failed to advance a war powers resolution Tuesday that would direct President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities in Iran.

The Senate rejected advancing Democratic Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock’s motion to discharge his war powers resolution from the Foreign Relations Committee in a 47-48 vote. Democratic Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman voted with most Republicans against the resolution, while Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted in favor of its advancement.

Five senators missed the vote. These senators were Republican Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, Republican Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Democratic Colorado Sen. Michael Bennett and Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.

The four Republicans voted for a similar motion to discharge a war powers resolution sponsored by Democratic Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, which passed in a 50-47 vote. Cassidy voted for the May resolution after losing his primary race to Republican Louisiana Rep. Julia Letlow, who Trump endorsed. (RELATED: 38 Senators Aren’t Buying Trump’s Claim That Iran War Is ‘Terminated.’ They Want To See Receipts)

The House passed a concurrent war powers resolution on June 3 in a 215-208 vote. The resolution, sponsored by Democratic New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, would direct Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran other than those “necessary to defend the United States” or an ally from an “imminent attack.”

Republican Reps. Warren Davidson of Ohio, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Tom Barrett of Michigan joined Democrats in passing the resolution.

The House’s version is a concurrent resolution, which means it is largely symbolic and Trump is not legally bound to comply with it. A joint resolution like Warnock’s requires Trump’s signature, which in this case he would almost certainly veto.

Kaine would need one more Republican to approve of a motion to proceed for his resolution. Republican North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who is not running for reelection, stated Tuesday he had considered voting in favor of Warnock’s resolution and could possibly be persuaded in voting for Kaine’s resolution.

Trump announced a breakthrough in diplomatic negotiations Sunday, which would extend the ceasefire for 60 days and open the Strait of Hormuz. Since no text of the deal has been released, some lawmakers on both sides of the aisle demanded more information about the deal as well as saying they believed the Senate should have the final say on whether the agreement should be implemented.

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