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By Gabe Whisnant and Peter Aitken
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The House of Representatives on Thursday failed to pass a resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s Iran war powers in Iran, deadlocking in a 212-212 vote.
However, the House vote, along with a closely divided Senate vote a day earlier, highlighted a small but potentially pivotal group of Republicans opposing Trump’s continuation of the war.
The resolution, backed by Democrats, would have required the administration to end hostilities absent congressional authorization. Representative Jared Golden of Maine was the lone Democrat voting against the measure.
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It marked the first House vote on the conflict since the 60‑day period requiring congressional authorization for military action expired.
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Which Republicans Voted For the Iran War Powers Resolution?
Two different votes over two days in each of the chambers of Congress, with three Republicans crossing the aisle to join their Democrat colleagues in trying to curb Trump's ability to engage in military conflict with Iran.
In the House of Representatives, which voted on Thursday, the Republicans who voted in favor of the resolution included:
- Thomas Massie of Kentucky
- Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
- Tom Barrett of Michigan
On Wednesday, three Republicans broke with their party to join Democrats in advancing a Senate measure to curb Trump’s war powers in Iran, though the vote ultimately failed, including:
- Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
- Susan Collins of Maine
- Rand Paul of Kentucky
Murkowski had opposed previous measures put to a vote in the Senate, but she argued that while she voted against the previous seven Senate proposals "because I believed an abrupt withdrawal would endanger American forces and civilians in the region," she noted that "two elements have changed since previous votes."
First, she framed the vote within the context of the 60-day limit needed to receive congressional authority to continue waging war, but "the administration has asserted that hostilities have ended, despite the blockade and continued fire directed at members of the U.S. Armed Forces, as well as our assets, allies, and partners."
Second, she joined Democrats in arguing that Trump has not been making its case to continue the conflict, saying, "with the reported claim of ended hostilities, this course of action is not an effective means to manage this conflict. Should hostilities reignite and military action resume, I will reconsider the introduction of an AUMF," or Authorization of Use of Military Force.
Why Does Trump Need Congressional Approval For War?
The Constitution assigns Congress the authority to declare war, while the president serves as commander in chief, creating a shared system of war powers that has long been contested in practice.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted to limit a president’s ability to commit U.S. forces to hostilities abroad without congressional consent and to reinforce the legislature’s role in approving sustained military action.
Under that law, a president who initiates military operations without prior authorization must notify Congress, and lawmakers are expected to weigh in if the conflict continues. Political pressure builds as conflicts extend, with lawmakers emphasizing that continued fighting beyond a limited window requires congressional involvement to avoid sidelining their constitutional authority.
The same framework creates a 60‑day window during which a president can conduct military operations without formal approval, after which congressional authorization is required for them to continue.
In the case of the Iran conflict, officials highlighted that this deadline passed without approval, intensifying scrutiny over whether the administration’s actions complied with the War Powers Act and its requirement for authorization beyond that period.
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