Trump bleeds votes in Congress to keep Iran war going
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President Trump speaks at a National Police Week event at the White House Rose Garden on May 11. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
House Democrats are one step closer to finally getting a successful Iran war powers vote as their last holdout plans to flip and at least one Republican says they may follow suit.
Why it matters: While the vote would be largely symbolic — President Trump could veto the measure — Democrats believe it would be a crucial rebuke of the conflict.
- House Intelligence Committee ranking member Jim Himes (D-Conn.), one of the lawmakers leading the measure, told Axios he is "feeling pretty good" about its chances of passing on Thursday.
- Another senior House Democrat, asked if party leadership is confident about the vote, told Axios: "Yes."
Driving the news: Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), the one Democrat who has consistently voted against Iran war powers resolutions, told Axios his "intention is to vote yes on it" on Thursday.
- Golden noted that it is "past 60 days" since the conflict was initiated, which, under the War Powers Act, is the timetable by which a president must terminate military operations if Congress does not declare war.
- "The administration could come to Congress and try to push for authorization," he said, adding that this measure is "clean" unlike the one that was voted on last week.
Zoom in: Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a pro-interventionist centrist who has voted against past Iran war powers resolutions, told Axios that Trump "needs more authorities to use force" but feels "very split" on the upcoming vote.
- "It's a tough vote, because we have the constitution and Article One authorities. The President doesn't like it. Granted, he would prefer not to have Congress," he said.
- Bacon, who is retiring this year, has repeatedly criticized the president over what he has said are abuses of power.
Flashback: Democrats' attempt to pass a war powers resolution last week failed in a stunning tie vote, 212 to 212.
- Golden voted against the resolution, while Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) voted for it.
- Half a dozen members were absent on that vote, including Reps. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) and Frederica Wilson (D-Fla.), both of whom have missed weeks of votes.
Between the lines: "Like everything else around here it's about the absences," Himes told Axios.
- The House was initially set to vote on the resolution Wednesday, but Republican leadership pushed it back due to the vote margins.
- Twenty House members did not show up to votes on Wednesday afternoon — seven Democrats and 13 Republicans.
- "It would have passed today that's why they pulled it," House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Greg Meeks (D-N.Y.) told Axios.
