The U.S. Senate adopted a measure on Tuesday aimed at restricting President Donald Trump’s war powers, requiring Congress approval for any future military action in Iran.
The measure was passed with 50 votes in favor and 47 against, as reported by CNN and cited by News.ro.
Democratic Senator John Fetterman joined Republicans in rejecting the bill, while Republican senators Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy voted alongside Democrats. This marks the first time Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, has voted with Democrats.
The vote for the measure comes after the Senate previously rejected similar efforts seven times.
There were several absences from the Republican Party in the vote, due to ongoing election campaigns in the senators' home states, which diminishes the measure's chances of final adoption.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced in April that Democrats will force a vote on war powers every week the Senate is in session, in the foreseeable future.
The text has mostly symbolic value
The text, however, has mostly symbolic value due to the presidential veto power held by Donald Trump, as noted by AFP and cited by Agerpres.
According to the U.S. Constitution, only Congress has the power to declare war, and Democrats seek to reaffirm the legislative authority in this matter against the executive power represented by Donald Trump.
While the law allows the president to engage in hostilities to respond to an imminent threat, it requires him to obtain Congressional authorization within 60 days.
However, at the beginning of May, Donald Trump disregarded this deadline, claiming that the conflict, which began on February 28 through American and Israeli attacks, ended due to the ongoing ceasefire.
Democrats challenge this argument and counter by stating that American forces are still deployed on-site to enforce a blockade on Iranian ports.
“This president is like a baby playing with a loaded gun,” said Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“Every second we wait to end this war is a new second in which Donald Trump puts our soldiers in danger,” he added in the Senate chamber.