- House GOP leadership pulled a scheduled vote Thursday to President Trump's military campaign in Iran after it became clear they did not have the votes to defeat it.
- It would have been Congress' first vote on Trump's Iran war effort after multiple Democratic-led war powers attempts had failed.
- Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), the one Democrat who has consistently voted against war powers resolutions, was planning to flip his vote to yes.
- Four Republicans, Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Warren Davidson, and Tom Barrett (R-Mich.) have voted in support of the measure previously.
- GOP leaders held open a measure to establish a women's museum for 45 minutes as they tried to whip against the war powers resolution.
- Democrats were infuriated at the move, with House Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) getting shouted down by the presiding officer as he attempted to question the move.
- 'We've gone from losing by one to tying last week to this chicken s*** retreat they did tonight,' Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) told Axios.
- Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) can afford only a handful of defections on party-line votes when the House is at full attendance.
- The House was expected to vote on the resolution Wednesday, but GOP leaders delayed the measure amid attendance concerns within their conference.
- Trump turned his fire on Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) on Wednesday, telling reporters: 'He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? It doesn't work out well.'
- 'We don't report to any party or any person here in D.C.,' Fitzpatrick said.
- Some Republicans have pointed to the War Powers Act's 60-day deadline, that has passed, requiring U.S. forces to withdraw absent congressional approval as a turning point.
- The White House argues that requirement because of the ceasefire with Iran.
House Republicans scrapped a scheduled vote Thursday on a resolution regarding President Trump's military campaign in Iran, acknowledging they lacked the votes to pass it amid rising tensions and attendance issues. This vote marked what would have been Congress's first direct engagement with Trump's military actions in Iran since multiple Democratic-led attempts to assert war powers ended in failure.1
With attendance concerns plaguing the party, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) faces challenges with party-line votes where only a handful of defections are permissible. The decision to postpone fueled outrage among Democrats, as House Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) was met with shouts while questioning the leadership's decision.5
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) lamented, “We've gone from losing by one to tying last week to this chicken s*** retreat they did tonight,” highlighting the Democrats' frustration. Notably, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) indicated he was poised to support the resolution, marking a shift from his usual opposition to war powers resolutions. Previous support for the measure came from four Republicans—Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Warren Davidson, and Tom Barrett (R-Mich.)—which hints at a potential divide within the GOP ranks.34
Trump criticized Fitzpatrick collaterally, commenting, “He likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? It doesn't work out well.” Meanwhile, some GOP members referred to the War Powers Act's 60-day deadline as a critical factor mandating U.S. military withdrawal unless Congress approves an extension, further complicating the legislative landscape.
The long-term implications of this stalled vote could resonate, as the White House argues for military presence due to a ceasefire with Iran, emphasizing the contentious nature of U.S. involvement in Middle Eastern affairs.
“House GOP leadership canceled a vote on President Trump's Iran military campaign after realizing they lacked the necessary support. This vote would have marked Congress' first action regarding Trump's efforts following multiple failed Democratic initiatives.”
