WASHINGTON–A Senate vote to curb President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran failed on Wednesday afternoon, making it the fourth failed vote under the War Powers Resolution.
The 47-52 vote was the first one on the issue after the Senate’s two-week spring break. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) joined Democrats, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted against the resolution. Sen. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) was the only non-voting member.
The vote came as Trump officials announced the deployment of more military personnel into the Middle East. Although vote results have remained the same, Democrats are counting on the pressures of the war’s length and economic toll to win Republicans’ eventual support.
In a White House press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized that economic effects, particularly gas prices in the 4-5 dollar range, are a short-term issue.
“President Trump said this morning that he thinks we’re nearing the end,” Bessent said. “I’m optimistic that during the summer, we will see gas with a 3 in front of it sooner rather than later.”
The campaign in Iran will reach 60 days on May 1, a deadline that, under the War Powers Resolution, requires Trump to win congressional approval or remove military forces. The joint resolution, initially passed in 1973, was Congress’s response to controversies over President Richard Nixon’s handling of the Vietnam War.
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) condemned Republicans for refusing to hold hearings or investigations into Trump’s actions.
“It’s 47 days already,” Schumer said in remarks Wednesday morning, turning to face the Republican wing of the mostly empty Senate chamber. “Where are you?”
Maryland Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen both continued their support for the resolution, voting in favor once again. Alsobrooks criticized Trump for his handling of the war in an X video post on Tuesday.
“Everything about this is costing the American people,” Alsobrooks said. “It’s time for it to end.”
Van Hollen cited the war’s unpopularity with Americans and lack of direction as his reasons for supporting the resolution.
“We know from the president’s own words that there’s no clear endgame here, and it’s clear every day that this war is not in the interest of the American people,” Van Hollen said in remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday afternoon.
Despite the repeated votes, many Republican senators have continued to strongly support the war and Trump’s decisions. Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho) took the floor before the vote to oppose the resolution, characterizing it as cowardly.
“It says, ‘President Trump, put your tail between your legs and run.’ That’s what this resolution says,” Risch said.
Other Republicans chose not to address the war at all. In his morning remarks, Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) used the opportunity to speak about the Working Families Tax Cut Act in honor of Tax Day.
Democrats knew the vote was a long shot, but it didn’t seem to deter them.
“We will continue to force votes on these resolutions every week until this war ends or the Republicans get the courage to stand up to Donald Trump,” Schumer said.