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Senate falls short in vote to restrain Trump on Iran
Karoun Demirjian, June 28 at 11:43 AM
The Senate failed to muster enough votes Friday to approve a measure that would have insisted President Trump come to Congress before engaging militarily with Iran, except in the case of self-defense.
The measure, a proposed amendment to the annual defense bill, would have needed 60 votes to be included in the $750 billion authorization senators passed Thursday. It encountered significant opposition from Republicans, who argued that it was unnecessary — and potentially dangerous, in sending a message to Iran that Congress might undermine the commander in chief in the midst of an escalating conflict.
The only Republicans so far to support the measure are Sens. Jerry Moran (Kan.), Susan Collins (Maine), Mike Lee (Utah) and Rand Paul (Ky.).
“The timing couldn’t be worse,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Thursday, arguing that the amendment was “just not necessary” given the president’s powers to direct the military. “The redundancy is actually damaging. . . . It’s only going to reinforce this belief among some in the regime that they can go further than they can.”
Those supporting the effort rejected the argument that the president would fully respect Congress’ authority to declare war — or stick to the plan about when and where to respond to provocations with military force.
“They’re trying to create excuses for why we should ignore the Constitution and open the door to war with Iran,” Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), the amendment’s author, said Thursday. “President Trump has said he was ten minutes away from doing just that.”
Voting on the amendment began at 5 a.m. Friday and promised to continue through much of the afternoon, to give Democratic senators who were in Miami this week for the first primary debates the chance to return to Washington.
The debate now moves to the Democratic-led House, where lawmakers are expected to include a similar restriction in their version of the defense bill. Debate begins on the House floor next month.
The Senate and the House will then have to combine the two versions of the defense bill. Iran is one of several matters — along with nuclear weapons investments, the diversion of military resources to the U.S.-Mexico border, and overall funding levels for the Pentagon — that promise to be contentious.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...c61607d8190_story.html?utm_term=.55fbb61c7a39
Karoun Demirjian, June 28 at 11:43 AM
The Senate failed to muster enough votes Friday to approve a measure that would have insisted President Trump come to Congress before engaging militarily with Iran, except in the case of self-defense.
The measure, a proposed amendment to the annual defense bill, would have needed 60 votes to be included in the $750 billion authorization senators passed Thursday. It encountered significant opposition from Republicans, who argued that it was unnecessary — and potentially dangerous, in sending a message to Iran that Congress might undermine the commander in chief in the midst of an escalating conflict.
The only Republicans so far to support the measure are Sens. Jerry Moran (Kan.), Susan Collins (Maine), Mike Lee (Utah) and Rand Paul (Ky.).
“The timing couldn’t be worse,” Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said Thursday, arguing that the amendment was “just not necessary” given the president’s powers to direct the military. “The redundancy is actually damaging. . . . It’s only going to reinforce this belief among some in the regime that they can go further than they can.”
Those supporting the effort rejected the argument that the president would fully respect Congress’ authority to declare war — or stick to the plan about when and where to respond to provocations with military force.
“They’re trying to create excuses for why we should ignore the Constitution and open the door to war with Iran,” Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), the amendment’s author, said Thursday. “President Trump has said he was ten minutes away from doing just that.”
Voting on the amendment began at 5 a.m. Friday and promised to continue through much of the afternoon, to give Democratic senators who were in Miami this week for the first primary debates the chance to return to Washington.
The debate now moves to the Democratic-led House, where lawmakers are expected to include a similar restriction in their version of the defense bill. Debate begins on the House floor next month.
The Senate and the House will then have to combine the two versions of the defense bill. Iran is one of several matters — along with nuclear weapons investments, the diversion of military resources to the U.S.-Mexico border, and overall funding levels for the Pentagon — that promise to be contentious.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...c61607d8190_story.html?utm_term=.55fbb61c7a39
