Key Congresspeople have requested a vote on a war powers resolution to restrain Trump’s attack on Iran.
Both chambers of Congress had drafted resolutions a significant time before Saturday’s strikes on the country. But, due to the unauthorized war, Congress is poised to hold debates next week as a referendum on Trump’s decision to wage war without formally going through Congress.
“Has President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East?” said Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va. He also called the strikes a “colossal mistake.”
House Reps. Khanna, D-Calif., and Massie, R-Ky, have requested that Congress hold its own vote on the matter on Monday.
“Congress must convene on Monday to vote to stop this,” Khanna said. Massie used Trump’s own slogan against him saying, “This is not ‘America First.'”
But, as Republicans go, Massie is in the minority with most of the Republicans in Congress supporting Trump’s moves on Iran citing the nuclear and missile programs.
“As I watch and monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare,” said Trump loyalist Lindsay Graham, R. S.C.
Presidents have the power to undertake certain military operations on their own, but the Constitution give Congress the power to wage war. Before the 2003 Iraq War, President George W. Bush, a Republican, spent months trying to get congressional approval beforehand. Trump did no such thing for this strike on Iran.
As it stands, a vote on war powers would likely fail due to the small Republican majority in Congress. If it were successful, Trump could veto it and there are too many Republicans who support him for the two-thirds vote needed to overturn a presidential veto.
In essence, a vote would merely be emblematic and used for public record.
