Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The US Senate on Thursday narrowly rejected a war powers resolution that sought to halt President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran, keeping his war strategy in place despite rising political pressure. The 49-50 vote came as the conflict has been blamed for a sharp rise in gas prices and has become a major issue in the midterm election campaign.
The vote, held days after Trump’s address to the United Nations in which he threatened to “annihilate” Iran, was likely the last chance for lawmakers to formally record their position on the war before November. The resolution fell short even as more Republicans showed signs of unease, with four GOP senators joining most Democrats in support.
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Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia who pushed the resolution, said, “They have been carrying water for this ridiculous and illegal war for months and months and months and not listening to their constituents.” Republican senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky voted for the resolution, while Democratic Senator John Fetterman voted against it.
Tillis said, “We’ve got to break the cycle.” The Senate has now considered a war powers resolution 14 times since Trump launched the conflict on February 28. Such resolutions are largely political statements and do not carry the full force of law, but they remain one of the clearest ways for Congress to signal disapproval of the White House short of cutting off funds. As resolutions, they do not go to the president for his signature.
Republicans in Congress have largely avoided directly challenging Trump over the war, which has now stretched beyond seven months. But concern is growing as high fuel prices and broader cost-of-living pressures hit voters. Diesel prices have almost doubled and are now above USD 6 a gallon, according to AAA.
A new survey by The Associated Press in partnership with KFF found that about half of rural American voters believe the economy is worse now than when Trump returned to office. Grocery, fuel and healthcare costs were listed as the main pain points. After campaign visits to Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska, Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana said Trump should deliver a prime-time address to explain the Iran war strategy and its end goal. “People are confused about the war and upset about the cost of living,” he said.
Even so, Kennedy and others were not ready to vote against the war. Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, said, “My own view is that the focus right now needs to be on attacking the cost of living issues,” adding that he believes the president is acting within his authority in carrying out the military action. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries mocked Republicans trying to distance themselves from the fallout, saying, “Now all of a sudden they’re waking up.”
Earlier this month, the House approved a war powers resolution for the third time, with seven Republicans joining Democrats. They included Iowa representatives Zach Nunn and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, where affordability concerns among rural voters are dominating election campaigns. The Senate, however, has rarely been able to pass such a measure against Trump.
In June, the Senate did approve a war powers resolution after four Republican senators joined Democrats, but Republicans reversed course the very next day after Trump criticised them at a private lunch. At the time, Cassidy of Louisiana defended his vote and ended up in a shouting match with Trump. He later switched to oppose the resolution after receiving a personal briefing from the White House.
As the war continues, with costs so far put at USD 43.5 billion, Congress is also looking at other ways to force a rethink of the US approach in Iran. Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, moved articles of impeachment against Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, but the House leadership abruptly adjourned the chamber and sent lawmakers home to campaign, avoiding a possible vote on the issue.
Lawmakers also have the power to restrict military spending, though Republicans have been reluctant to use that route. Democrats are expected to take it up if they win power in the midterm election. Meanwhile, the White House’s request for an additional USD 87.6 billion for the war and other needs remains stalled in Congress.
The war powers act was created after the Vietnam War to hold presidents accountable for military action and has long tested the balance between the executive and legislative branches. While the Constitution says only Congress can declare war, the president, as commander-in-chief, can still deploy the military. Under the act, the president must seek approval from Congress within 60 days of such action or risk disapproval. Thursday’s Senate vote left Trump’s Iran war policy unchanged for now, even as political resistance and public concern over costs continue to grow.
With PTI Inputs
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
