Senate Democrats, not confident that President Trump’s first-stage peace deal with Iran will hold, are continuing their push for Congress to formally end the war.
But they remain one Republican supporter shy of the 51 votes needed to pass a war powers resolution terminating hostilities with Iran.
“Trump’s Iran war blunder can’t end soon enough,” said Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York. “We’ve been told dozens of times that this war is over – dozens of times that proved to be a lie.”
Senate Democrats’ ninth attempt to advance a war powers resolution failed in a 47-48 vote on Tuesday.
Four Republicans – Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul – voted with most Democrats in support.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania remains the only Democrat voting in opposition.
“While no one has seen this agreement – and there is still some doubt that it will even actually materialize – it appears at the foundation to be a payment to Iran to open the strait,” Sen. Chris Murphy, Connecticut Democrat, said, noting that giving Iran significant sanctions relief now removes the leverage needed to get them to negotiate on an end to their nuclear program.
With full Senate attendance, Tuesday’s vote would have been a 50-50 tie. Three Democratic supporters and two Republican opponents were absent.
Vice President J.D. Vance, a key broker in the peace talks with Iran, would have sided with Republicans in breaking the tie, so Democrats need to flip one more Republican if they hope to pass the war powers resolution.
A previous war powers resolution advanced because of GOP opponents who were absent. Democrats are preserving that resolution in case they can flip one more Republican needed to pass it.
Two weeks ago, House Democrats successfully passed an Iran war powers resolution in their chamber with the help of four Republicans.
Even if the war powers resolution were to pass the Senate, Mr. Trump would certainly veto it and neither chamber could muster up the two-thirds majority needed to override that.
