US House to Vote on Compelling Trump to Withdraw from Iran War

WASHINGTON: The House is expected to vote on legislation Thursday to compel President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran, a significant test of lawmakers’ willingness to go along with a conflict the president launched over two months ago without congressional approval. The vote is the latest effort by Democrats to rein in Trump’s military campaigns by using the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Previous votes on similar resolutions have failed, but Democrats are hoping that Thursday could be a turning point. One by one, a small but potentially crucial number of Republicans have sided with Democrats to check Trump’s power to continue the conflict. On Tuesday, the Senate advanced another war powers resolution on the Iran war when four GOP senators supported the resolution and three others were absent from the vote. A final vote on the Senate resolution could also come Thursday, though Republican leaders expect they’ll be able to block it once every GOP senator is present. On Capitol Hill, patience with the war has grown thin as the stalemate in the Strait of Hormuz disrupts global shipping and elevates gas prices in the US. Another House war powers resolution nearly passed last week, falling on a tie vote as three Republicans voted in favor. Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, who sponsored the war powers resolution, has said he expects to have the votes this time around.