The US House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution restricting President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran, requiring him to obtain congressional authorization before any further escalation. The move has sparked sharp debate in Washington, exposing a deep divide between the White House and Congress over the resolution’s implications for US policy toward Iran.
A White House official told Al-Mayadeen that the vote may have been influenced by the absence of several Republican representatives from the session. The official emphasized that the resolution “will not reach President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature and has no legally binding force.”
The official added that such resolutions are “unconstitutional” from the administration’s perspective, noting that the War Powers Resolution includes a legislative veto mechanism deemed unconstitutional since 1983. He stressed the administration’s commitment to protecting US national security, as well as its commitment to transparency in dealings with Congress.
In contrast, Representative Gregory Meeks, Vice Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, hailed the bill’s passage as a “bipartisan rebuke” of President Trump’s policy toward Iran, describing the war as “illegitimate and costly.”
Meeks argued that the current policy has failed to achieve its stated objectives, has complicated the Iranian nuclear issue, undermined the credibility of American diplomacy, and—as he put it—increased Tehran’s influence in the region.
He also pointed out that the military escalation is taking an economic toll on Americans through rising fuel prices and increased military operation costs. He urged the Senate to pass the legislation and send a clear message to the White House about the need to end involvement in an open-ended war.
Source: Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar)