House Republicans Block Iran War Powers Resolution

House Republicans blocked a Democratic attempt to advance a war powers resolution limiting President Donald Trump's authority to conduct military operations against Iran during a brief pro forma session of the House on Thursday. The session, held while Congress is in recess for Easter, ended abruptly when Republican Speaker Pro Tempore Chris Smith of New Jersey gaveled it closed before Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland could formally request unanimous consent to pass the measure.

The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, sought to invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution. That law requires congressional authorization for sustained U.S. military engagements beyond 60 days. The U.S.-Iran conflict, which began about six weeks ago with joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, has exceeded that threshold without formal approval from lawmakers. Several Democrats, including Reps. Don Beyer and James Walkinshaw of Virginia, Sara Jacobs of California, Mary Gay Scanlon and Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, and Suhas Subramanyam of Virginia, were present on the floor and protested the abrupt adjournment by yelling objections.