More than three months after President Donald Trump first launched an attack on Iran — and, more relevantly, more than 90 days since the war began — the House successfully voted to reassert Congress’ authority over the war.

In a 215-208 vote, the House adopted a war powers resolution on Wednesday, with four Republicans joining all Democrats in support of the legislation. (Reps. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted for the resolution.)

It’s a symbolic blow to Trump, who has largely maintained an iron grip over the House GOP conference throughout the Iran conflict, even as the war dragged past a significant 90-day deadline intended to limit a president’s ability to wage war without congressional authorization.

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But despite the successful vote, actually constraining Trump’s military authority on Iran is a long way off. The Senate would still need to adopt a similar resolution — something it has so far failed to do.

Procedurally, there is some disagreement among scholars and lawmakers as to whether the resolution would even carry the force of law. Democrats argue that because it is a so-called “concurrent resolution,” it is binding as long as both chambers adopt it — even if the president doesn’t sign it. (The president would all but assuredly veto it if given the chance. Neither chamber is close to a veto-proof, two-thirds majority.)

While four Republicans broke with GOP leaders, 208 Republicans stuck with Trump, with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., arguing before the vote that the legislation would “weaken” Trump’s hand in negotiations with Iran. 

“The president is now in the process of concluding a peace agreement, and we have to allow him the latitude to do that,” Johnson said. 

Echoing the speaker’s sentiment, Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla. — the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee — called the resolution a “stupid political vote,” arguing it would negatively impact negotiations with Iran.

“It’s just a total BS vote, and I think there’s no Democrat, no Republican that can tell you what forces they would want pulled from Iran, there’s really nothing they actually want pulled from there,” Mast said. “They just want a stupid political vote, which is what this is. Weakens the president’s hands as he’s negotiating with Iran.”

Fitzpatrick, one of the four Republicans who crossed party lines in support of reining in the administration’s actions in Iran, has previously voted for the resolution, citing Congress’ constitutional authority as the reason why.

“We must keep the world safe, and we must also follow the law,” the Pennsylvania lawmaker said in a statement.

This is the fourth time the chamber has voted on an Iran war powers measure — but the first time since the conflict crossed the 90-day threshold, a critical deadline under the War Powers Act of 1973. That legislation requires military action to cease unless Congress votes to declare war or authorize the conflict.

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Kevin Frey

Kevin Frey is a congressional reporter for MS NOW.