Yesterday the US House of Representatives voted yes to place restrictions on what a President can do without the approval of congress.
Before the vote, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Last week, the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials. The Administration took this action without consulting Congress. This action endangered our service members, diplomats, and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran. Since then, the President has made it clear that he does not have a coherent strategy to keep the American people safe, achieve de-escalation with Iran and ensure stability in the region. Today, to honor our duty to keep the American people safe, the House will move forward with a War Powers Resolution to limit the President’s military actions regarding Iran”.
220 Democrats voted yes for a war resolution restricting the President’s powers along with 3 Republicans and 1 Independent. 186 Republicans and 8 Democrats voted no for a war resolution restricting the President’s powers. In total 224 voted yes for a war resolution restricting the President’s powers and 194 representatives voted no for a war resolution restricting the President’s powers.
The resolution states, “Congress hereby directs the President to terminate the use of United States Armed Forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran or any part of its government or military, unless — (1) Congress has declared war or enacted specific statutory authorization for such use of the Armed Forces; or (2) such use of the Armed Forces is necessary and appropriate to defend against an imminent armed attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its Armed Forces, consistent with the requirements of the War Powers Resolution”.
The resolution was developed because there was a widespread consensus(down party lines) that the White House didn’t have enough information to justify the killings of Iran’s Major General Qasem Soleimani. To stop such future decision making from occurring in the future without the approval of congress a resolution was put in place to place some additional checks on the Presidents powers.
The resolution will be voted on in the Senate next and will need the full support of all Democratic Senators along with 4 Republican Senators to be put into law.
