House GOP leaders abruptly pulled a war powers resolution vote from consideration Thursday night, ducking what looked like an almost certain loss because of a handful of Republican absences.
The House was set to vote on the war powers resolution Thursday night, which would have directed the president to remove U.S. armed forces from Iran. But after a bill to authorize the construction of a Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum went down, 204-216 — with eight Republicans absent and six Republicans voting with Democrats — GOP leaders suddenly pulled the war powers resolution from the floor.
“Mr. Speaker, can you explain to the members of the chamber what is happening with the Iran war powers resolution that was scheduled to be voted on this evening?” Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said on the floor Thursday.
The presiding officer, Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, told McGovern he had not made a proper parliamentary inquiry and directed him to “consult with your leadership regarding scheduling.”
Republicans told Democrats they were not voting on the resolution because they did not have to under House rules. But Democrats believed the reason Republicans pulled the legislation from consideration was because Democrats had the votes to adopt the measure.
“No question about it, we would have succeeded,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the sponsor of the resolution, told MS NOW.
He added that GOP leadership did “what they always do — they cheat.”
Republicans leaders said they have another legislative day before they are statutorily forced to hold a vote, punting consideration of the measure until after the Memorial Day recess.
Meeks said he had “sufficient” GOP support to pass it but declined to say which members would join Democrats to get it over the edge.
“Who knows what kind of threats or whatever they may get while we’re on this recess,” Meeks said. “I don’t trust the Republican leadership.”
Notably, the Senate advanced a war powers resolution earlier this week, 50-47, after three Republicans were missing from the vote.
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While Senate GOP leaders believe they will ultimately be able to defeat that legislation with full attendance, a war powers resolution could be successful. A previous attempt last week failed by one vote, 212-212, with one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, opposing the measure on procedural grounds.
Democratic leaders believed they had Golden’s vote this time around. And with considerably more Republicans missing Thursday from the Capitol, it looked like Democrats would succeed.
They will now have to wait until June for a vote.
With better attendance, Republicans could still defeat a war powers vote. But even if they do not, a Democratic win would still mostly be a symbolic victory.
Even if the Senate adopted an identical resolution, the legislation would need Trump’s signature — and the president almost certainly would veto the legislation. Democrats in neither chamber are close to corralling enough GOP support to secure a veto-proof majority required to force the president’s hand, meaning Trump will be free to continue hostilities.
The Iran conflict, which began at the end of February, is quickly approaching the 90-day mark, a key deadline under the War Powers Act of 1973 that requires military action to cease unless Congress votes to declare war or authorize it.
But the Trump administration has argued that the clock is paused while the U.S. and Iran are in the middle of a shaky ceasefire. And enough Republicans seem to buy that argument to allow Trump to continue the war unchecked — at least for now.
Syedah Asghar contributed to this report.
Kevin Frey is a congressional reporter for MS NOW.