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Some U.S. lawmakers are seeking to limit President Donald Trump’s military actions in Iran by invoking a law that dates back over half a century.
WASHINGTON — This week, discussions are underway among U.S. legislators regarding the president’s recent military maneuvers in Iran, initiated over the weekend. A faction of these lawmakers aims to employ the War Powers Resolution, commonly referred to as the War Powers Act, to halt the ongoing bombings.
President Donald Trump launched the “Epic Fury” campaign alongside Israel this past weekend, targeting approximately 2,000 sites within Iran. The campaign has unfortunately resulted in the deaths of six American service members since it began on Saturday.
Similar to his predecessors, Trump deployed U.S. troops for military operations abroad without obtaining prior congressional consent or an official war declaration.
The War Powers Resolution came into existence in 1973, in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. It was crafted to curb a president’s authority to engage in military actions in foreign nations without legislative oversight.
What is the War Powers Resolution?
The War Powers Resolution was established after the Vietnam War in 1973 and is designed to put limits on a president’s power when they decide to take military action in a foreign country.
Under the law, a president can take military action, but that action is limited to 60 days with an additional window of 30 days to withdraw service members. A president also must officially notify Congress of military action within 48 hours.
Why was the War Powers Act created?
While the president is the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces, only Congress can officially declare war.
Just after the Vietnam War, which lasted for nearly 20 years, congressional lawmakers wanted to reassert the government’s system of check-and-balances by creating a law that would limit a president’s military activity.
Has the War Powers Act ever worked?
Congress has never successfully used the War Powers Resolution to force a president to end a military conflict. Once Congress would pass a resolution to force the president’s hand, the president could veto the resolution. Then Congress would have to override that veto by a two-thirds majority vote.
Past presidents, like George W. Bush and Barack Obama, have followed the notification requirements of the War Powers Resolution, but past presidents have also questioned the law’s intent and constitutionality.
Who is trying to use the law amid the conflict in Iran?
On Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Senate voted to shoot down a War Powers Resolution measure.
“In a 47-to-53 vote, the resolution fell short of the simple majority it needed to advance,” CBS News reported.
In the House, there are two separate measures, with a vote expected on Thursday.
The first measure, brought by Rep. Ro Khanna, D‑Calif., and Thomas Massie, R‑Ky., has more than 80 cosponsors. It aims to immediately end the bombing in Iran unless Congress declares war or the United States is under imminent attack.
Six democrats are pushing for another measure that would require the bombing to end in 30 days.
Those lawmakers are Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas; Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J.; Greg Landsman, D-Ohio; Jared Golden, D-Maine; Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Jim Costa, D-Calif.
The Hill reports the resolution isn’t expected to get much support in the House on Thursday.