The Republican controlled House voted to reject a resolution that would restrict United States President Donald Trump’s war powers against Iran.
This comes just a day after the Senate blocked a similar war powers resolution.
Both actions together represent an authorisation by Congress for Trump to carry on his military strikes in Iran, even though a majority of Americans say they oppose the war.
The House vote was 212-219, with just two Republicans joining most Democrats in supporting the resolution.
Right-wing lawmaker Warren Davidson supported the measure and warned that Trump has overstepped his authority by attacking Iran.
“Make no mistake, Iran is an enemy of the United States. As our military engages them, they do so justly. Unfortunately, they are not yet doing so constitutionally,” Davidson said.
“For some, this debate will be about whether we should even be fighting in Iran. For me, the debate is more fundamental: is the president of the United States, regardless of the person holding the office, empowered to do whatever he wants? That’s not what our constitution says.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said a passage of a war powers resolution now would be a “terrible, dangerous idea”.
“It would empower our enemies, it would kneecap our own forces and it would take the ability of the US military and the commander-in-chief away from completing this critical mission to keep everybody safe,” he said.
The joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran came after weeks of negotiations intended to resolve the question of its nuclear program.
While the Trump administration did give notice of the president’s decision to attack alongside Israel to a small group of top lawmakers in Congress, it did not ask lawmakers to approve a measure formally authorising hostilities.
Trump and his officials have given shifting explanations on why the attack happened when it did and have been unclear about the exact U.S. goals in the conflict.
“We have no concrete justification for why we are putting American troops in harm’s way and spending billions of dollars on a foreign war while the affordability crisis rages here at home – a crisis Donald Trump said he would fix on day one, but instead, Republican policies have made worse,” Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, said as the chamber debated the war powers resolution.
The House also passed a separate non-binding resolution, backed by GOP leaders, reaffirming that Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism in a 372-53 vote. All the no votes came from democrats.
The Senate vote that was overturned would have required Donald Trump to receive Congress’s permission before continuing the war in Iran.
The measure was rejected 57-47.
