House Passes Resolution Limiting Trump’s Ability To Start War With Iran

The House passed a resolution 224-194 on Thursday that limits President Donald Trump‘s ability to go to war with Iran.

The resolution directs Trump to end military hostilities with Iran unless the United States is facing an “imminent armed attack” or as authorized by Congress.

It comes in the wake of the targeted killing of top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, of which Congress had no prior knowledge.

The “concurrent resolution” does not require Trump’s signature, as those types of measures are typically non-binding. However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-California) believes it sends a powerful message to the White House.

“This is with real teeth,” Pelosi said at her press conference. “We’re taking this path because it does not require … a signature of the president of the United States. This is a statement of the Congress of the United States, and I will not have that statement be diminished by whether the president will veto it or not.”

Trump urged Republicans to oppose the resolution on Thursday morning, calling it “another Democrat fraud.”

“Hope that all House Republicans will vote against Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s War Powers Resolution,” he tweeted.

Hope that all House Republicans will vote against Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s War Powers Resolution. Also, remember her “speed & rush” in getting the Impeachment Hoax voted on & done. Well, she never sent the Articles to the Senate. Just another Democrat fraud. Presidential Harassment!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2020

While the vote fell mainly on party lines, three Republicans supported the measure.

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Florida) voted for the resolution after Democrats agreed to his amendment of removing a line that said “the killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani, as well as Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Iraqi bases, risks significant escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran.”

Gaetz told The Hill he supported the measure because he thought congressional approval for war is important, and it did not explicitly criticize Trump’s actions.

“I don’t think that our country needs to get pulled into another forever Middle East war in the absence of congressional approval,” he said. “I’m very pleased that my amendment stripping out any reference to Soleimani, stripping out any critique of the president was adopted, and as a result, I’m going to vote for the resolution.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Florida) also supported the measure.

Eight Democrats voted against it: Reps. Ben McAdams (D-Utah), Anthony Brindisi (D-New York), Joe Cunningham (D-South Carolina), Kendra Horn (D-Oklahoma), Stephanie Murphy (D-Florida), Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey) Elaine Luria (D-Virginia) and Max Rose (D-New York).