House votes to rebuke Trump over war with Iran

WASHINGTON — The House offered a rare rebuke to President Donald Trump on Wednesday, passing a Democrat-led measure to end his war with Iran over objections from Republican leadership.

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It was one of two Democratic-led measures opposed by the White House that advanced in the House. Lawmakers also passed a motion that would unlock a vote on sending aid to Ukraine.

The Iran war powers resolution, offered by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, had been heading for a vote before the GOP-led House left for its Memorial Day recess on May 21. But it was abruptly pulled from the floor when it appeared that too many Republicans were absent to defeat it.

On Wednesday, it passed 215-208, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in voting yes.

The resolution directs Trump to remove U.S. armed forces from hostilities with Iran, unless Congress votes to declare war or authorizes the use of military force against the Middle East nation. It would not force him to end the conflict, however, and is a symbolic expression of disapproval of Trump’s war with Iran.

Earlier this year, Republicans had rejected three other attempts to pass a war powers resolution. The most recent vote ended in a 212-212 tie, and Democrats celebrated, saying more Americans are turning against the war and it was only a matter of time before they would be successful.

Wednesday’s vote gives momentum for the resolution in the Senate, which had already advanced its own war powers resolution on the floor last month but had not yet held a final vote. The Senate version has teeth, however, and would require Trump to end the war without congressional approval. But it would need to pass the House, and then Trump could veto it.

The House resolution was opposed by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and most Republicans, who complained that it undermines Trump and his top negotiators at a moment when they are trying to secure a nuclear deal with Iran. Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., called Wednesday’s action “just a total BS vote.”

“I think there’s no Democrat, no Republican, that can tell you what forces they would want pulled from Iran. There’s really nothing they actually want pulled from there. They just want a stupid political vote, which is what this is,” Mast said Wednesday. This “weakens the president’s hands as he’s negotiating with Iran.”

In the same vote series on Wednesday, the House voted in favor of a motion to “discharge” or bring forward legislation that would provide aid to Ukraine. This vote took place after the so-called discharge petition reached 218 signatures — a simple majority of the chamber — on May 13, allowing supporters to bypass Johnson and GOP leadership and bring the measure directly to the floor.

Rep. Kevin Kiley, a former Republican turned independent, joined all Democrats and two Republicans, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, in signing the Ukraine petition.

With the House advancing the bill, the chamber plans to debate the Ukraine aid bill and hold a final vote on Thursday.