Some members of Congress are trying to rein in President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran with a 53-year-old law.
WASHINGTON — This week, U.S. lawmakers are debating the president’s military action in Iran that began over the weekend, and some of them are trying to use the War Powers Resolution, also known as the War Powers Act, to stop the bombing.
This past weekend, President Donald Trump ordered the “Epic Fury” campaign with Israel, which has so far resulted in 2,000 locations in Iran being targeted. Since Saturday, six U.S. service members have been killed.
Like past presidents, Trump sent US service members overseas to conduct military action without congressional approval and without an official declaration of war.
What is the War Powers Resolution?
The War Powers Resolution was established after the Vietnam War in 1973 and is designed to put limits on a president’s power when they decide to take military action in a foreign country.
Under the law, a president can take military action, but that action is limited to 60 days with an additional window of 30 days to withdraw service members. A president also must officially notify Congress of military action within 48 hours.
Why was the War Powers Act created?
While the president is the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces, only Congress can officially declare war.
Just after the Vietnam War, which lasted for nearly 20 years, congressional lawmakers wanted to reassert the government’s system of check-and-balances by creating a law that would limit a president’s military activity.
Has the War Powers Act ever worked?
Congress has never successfully used the War Powers Resolution to force a president to end a military conflict. Once Congress would pass a resolution to force the president’s hand, the president could veto the resolution. Then Congress would have to override that veto by a two-thirds majority vote.
Past presidents, like George W. Bush and Barack Obama, have followed the notification requirements of the War Powers Resolution, but past presidents have also questioned the law’s intent and constitutionality.
Who is trying to use the law amid the conflict in Iran?
On Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Senate voted to shoot down a War Powers Resolution measure.
“In a 47-to-53 vote, the resolution fell short of the simple majority it needed to advance,” CBS News reported.
In the House, there are two separate measures, with a vote expected on Thursday.
The first measure, brought by Rep. Ro Khanna, D‑Calif., and Thomas Massie, R‑Ky., has more than 80 cosponsors. It aims to immediately end the bombing in Iran unless Congress declares war or the United States is under imminent attack.
Six democrats are pushing for another measure that would require the bombing to end in 30 days.
Those lawmakers are Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; Greg Landsman, D-Ohio; Jared Golden, D-Maine; Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Jim Costa, D-Calif.
The Hill reports the resolution isn’t expected to get much support in the House on Thursday.
