Momentum in Congress to Stop War on Iran
There is serious momentum building in Congress in support of critical measures that could block President Trump from starting a war against Iran. With Democratic leadership signing on to the effort, and at least a handful of Republicans signaling their support, the possibility of preventing a new war through Congressional action is increasing.
Next week, both chambers of Congress are likely to see votes on bipartisan War Powers Resolutions that would clarify there is no authorization for the use of force against Iran, while directing the Trump administration to remove U.S. forces from hostilities involving Iran. In the Senate, S.J. Res. 104 was introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Rand Paul (R-KY), while in the House of Representatives, H.Con.Res. 38 has been introduced by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Ro Khanna (D-CA).
Each of these resolutions has the force of law, meaning they would be binding if passed into law. Moreover, polling has consistently shown strong opposition to war with Iran, often reaching between 70% and 80% of Americans opposed to the idea. Yet, there has been some doubt as to whether Congress can even muster 50% in forthcoming votes, showing a stark divide between the public and lawmakers in Congress. If the war powers resolutions secure 70% support, reflecting the American public’s views, there would not be a war.
Some reports had suggested that Democratic leadership may be concerned about moving forward for a vote, yet both Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) have taken actions to endorse the resolutions and move them toward a vote. On Wednesday, Sen. Schumer cosponsored the Kaine-Paul war powers resolution, signaling his firm support.
On Thursday, Rep. Jeffries endorsed the Massie-Khanna resolution with other national security leaders in the House, stating “As soon as Congress reconvenes next week, we will compel a vote of the full House of Representatives on the bipartisan Khanna-Massie War Powers Resolution…undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless. We maintain that any such action would be unconstitutional without consultation with and authorization from Congress.” That statement was co-led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark; Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar; House Intelligence Committee Ranking Member Jim Himes, House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith and Khanna.
The alignment of Democratic leadership and key national security voices in the House and Senate signals that the vast majority of Democratic lawmakers will be in support of the resolution. Only three Democrats in Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) along with Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) have signaled they would oppose the war powers resolutions, which all occurred before Democratic leadership signaled their intentions.
Whether the resolutions pass or not will ultimately depend on a handful of Congressional Republicans who have typically supported such resolutions over the years, typically emphasizing both the costs of war and the Constitutional argument that only Congress is vested with the authority to declare war. Few Republicans have signaled support for the measures thus far, but Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) made a notable statement of intent on Thursday, tweeting “I have asked for a classified briefing defining the mission in Iran. In the absence of new information, I will support the War Powers resolution in the House next week. War requires Congressional authorization. There are actions short of war, but no case has been made.”
It is possible that some or many of Davidson’s colleagues share his views. There is a general lack of clarity in Washington regarding the Trump administration’s goals amid the largest military build-up in the Middle East since 2003. Few can say if Trump wants a deal or war, or even what either would seek to accomplish. While it is possible that President Trump finds an off-ramp to war, the U.S. and Iran have often been at odds in the fleeting negotiations that have occurred under his watch, with Iran often facing sweeping ultimatums and demands and showing minimal flexibility. There is a real risk that negotiations will break down, and that Trump will direct the military to launch an attack, potentially even before Congress has a chance to go on record or hold a vote on the idea.
In this very fluid environment, the votes in the House and Senate are too close to call. All Americans who care about whether their nation goes to war with Iran have an opportunity to shape the outcome by engaging with their lawmakers. Now is the time to act with these critical votes on Iran war coming next week.