The Senate on Tuesday voted down a Democratic-led effort to force President Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from Iran, with the measure failing 47 to 48 after Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) broke with his party and sided with Republicans.
The resolution, sponsored by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), would have used the committee discharge process to bring a war powers vote to the Senate floor. Four Republicans crossed in the other direction and voted yes: Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). Five senators missed the vote entirely, including Sens. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch (R-ID) warned that passage would destroy any chance of a peace agreement. He argued that no Iranian government would finalize a deal if Congress simultaneously ordered a troop withdrawal.
The vote came after Trump signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran that the White House says could form the foundation of a broader agreement to end the conflict.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said Tuesday he had still not been briefed on the specifics of the deal. He said he expected the administration would eventually need to bring Congress into the loop, adding that he hoped it would happen sooner rather than later.
Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) kept colleagues in suspense for more than 45 minutes before walking onto the floor late in the roll call and pointing his finger downward to signal a no vote. Tillis had told reporters before the vote that he was uncertain which way to go, citing lingering questions about whether the U.S. was in a ceasefire, an interim agreement, or a path toward a lasting deal.
Democrats were counting on Tillis as a possible fifth Republican. He didn’t deliver.
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who has led Democrats’ war powers push for months, framed the moment as an opportunity for Congress to fulfill its constitutional obligations. Kaine argued an intermission in the fighting was exactly the right time to establish proper oversight of the conflict.
Some Democrats were more blunt about the peace framework taking shape. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) called the emerging terms essentially a surrender, though he added that accepting a bad deal was preferable to prolonging a war that was costing American lives and money.
Kaine said he would continue pushing for a war powers vote and told reporters last week he believed he was close to finding a fifth Republican. Democrats need at least one more defection to advance the measure.
