Lawmakers stress new urgency around war powers votes after Iran strikes

Washington — Efforts in Congress to block President Trump from using further military action against Iran without support from lawmakers have intensified after the U.S. and Israel launched a massive military operation on Saturday.

Lawmakers are expected to vote this week on resolutions to require President Trump to seek Congressional approval to use military force on Iran as top Democrats — and some Republicans — seek to reassert Congress' power to declare war and prevent a prolonged conflict. And although the votes were expected ahead of the strikes, the administration's actions over the weekend prompted new energy from lawmakers, and calls for Congress to return to Washington immediately to vote as the conflict unfolds.

"This is a disaster, it is illegal, and the president is obligated under the Constitution to come to Congress and ask for an authorization of military force," Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said Sunday on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan."

The U.S. and Israel launched a massive military operation against Iran over the weekend, including striking Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound in Tehran and killing him. The U.S. Central Command said Sunday that three American service members were killed and five others were wounded as part of the operation, named Operation Epic Fury.

Lawmakers are aiming to block further military action without authorization under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which Congress passed in response to the Vietnam War as a check on the president's power to enter armed conflict without consent from the legislative branch. The law requires the president to consult with Congress in "every possible instance" ahead of the introduction of any military forces, to report to Congress within 48 hours of deploying forces if Congress hasn't authorized a declaration of war, and caps any unauthorized engagement at 60 days.

The Constitution grants only Congress the power to declare war, although presidents have undergone campaigns to avoid getting Congress' authorization.

The issue comes to a head after a number of similar efforts in recent months. A Senate vote on an Iran war powers resolution failed to garner enough support in June, after strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. And after the U.S. captured former Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro in January, the Senate narrowly failed to advance a Venezuela war powers resolution when the White House successfully peeled off GOP support. In the House, a Venezuela war powers resolution narrowly failed as well after two Republicans joined all Democrats to support it.

Before the strikes, lawmakers in both the House and Senate had plans to force the war powers votes this week. But the strikes created new urgency from Democrats and a handful of Republicans, who urged their colleagues to go on the record on the emerging conflict.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate should "quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act." And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said House Democrats "remain committed to compelling a vote" on a war powers resolution upon the chamber's return this week.

"Iran is a bad actor and must be aggressively confronted for its human rights violations, nuclear ambitions, support of terrorism and the threat it poses to our allies like Israel and Jordan in the region," Jeffries said in a statement. "However, absent exigent circumstances, the Trump administration must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war."

The resolutions would direct the president to remove U.S. military forces from hostilities against Iran unless authorized by either a declaration of war or another specific authorization for the use of military force. Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who's leading the war powers push in the Senate said in a statement that the chamber should immediately return to session to "block the use of U.S. forces in hostilities against Iran."

"For months, I have raised hell about the fact that the American people want lower prices, not more war — especially wars that aren't authorized by Congress, as required by the Constitution, and don't have a clear objective," Kaine said.

In the House, Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat, teased in recent weeks that they would pursue a war powers resolution on Iran. On Thursday, the pair announced they would force the vote this week. And following the strikes, they pledged to force the vote as soon as the House reconvened.

"The Constitution requires a vote, and your Representative needs to be on record as opposing or supporting this war," Massie said in a post on social media.

The votes would force lawmakers to go on record. But even if a war powers resolution was approved by both chambers in Congress, the outcome would be largely symbolic. Without two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, the president could simply veto the resolution. Still, proponents see it as a way to put pressure on the president to change course.

On whether the resolution can secure enough support in the House, Khanna said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that "it's going to be very close." He pointed to possible support from a number of America-first Republicans, while acknowledging that a handful of Democrats have been on the fence.

"It depends if we can keep several Democrats in line," Khanna said. "But I believe this is a disastrous vote for any Democrats to vote for Donald Trump's war in the Middle East, so I hope we will hold the line."

Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who chairs the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he expects to see "overwhelming Republican support" for the president's actions in Iran, while urging Democrats to cross the aisle and join them.

"I would invite Democrats in the Congress to join their Democratic colleagues like John Fetterman and Josh Gottheimer and Greg Landsman in supporting our troops, in finally putting America's foot down against the Islamic Republic of Iran," Cotton said on "Face the Nation."

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