Republicans largely unite to defeat measure that sought to restrict continued U.S. strikes under Operation Epic Fury.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Senate Republicans largely unified Wednesday to defeat a resolution aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s military operations in Iran, preserving the administration’s authority to continue strikes under Operation Epic Fury.
The measure, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., sought to require congressional approval for further U.S. military action against Iran. After days of speculation about whether Republican lawmakers might join Democrats in backing the proposal, the Senate voted it down, handing the administration a significant political victory.
The outcome followed a lobbying effort by the Trump administration, which conducted multiple classified briefings with lawmakers in recent days to explain the objectives and scope of the military campaign.
In the final vote, only Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., sided with Democrats in supporting the resolution. Sen. Jon Fetterman, D-Pa., was the lone Democrat to vote with Republicans against the measure.
Supporters of the resolution argued that the president had bypassed Congress in initiating the military campaign and had not clearly defined long-term objectives for U.S. involvement in the conflict.
Ahead of the vote, Kaine said the Senate needed to formally address the administration’s actions.
“It’s time for the president to keep promises, not break them,” Kaine said. “That’s why I’m so glad that we’re going to put everybody on the record … Nobody gets to hide and give the president an easy pass or an end run around the Constitution.”
Democratic lawmakers also raised concerns about the possibility of the conflict expanding if U.S. ground troops were deployed.
“They refuse to take off the table the insertion of ground troops,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., warning that the conflict could escalate beyond its current air and naval operations. “This is going to make the operations in Libya look like child’s play.”
Some Republicans acknowledged congressional authority would be required if the mission expanded to include ground combat operations.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said he would oppose Kaine’s resolution but emphasized that deploying U.S. troops on the ground would likely require legislative authorization.
“I’ve always said that committing ground troops would be something I think would require immediate congressional authorization, but that doesn’t appear to be on the immediate horizon,” Hawley said.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., criticized the administration’s approach, arguing that shifting explanations about the mission indicated a lack of strategic clarity.
Republican lawmakers countered that the president acted within his authority as commander in chief.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., argued the War Powers Act improperly limits presidential authority, describing it as “an unconstitutional shift of authority from the president.” He noted that Congress still retains the ability to halt military operations through restrictions on funding.
“We don’t need 535 commanders in chief,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., in opposition to the resolution.
Republicans also pointed to what they described as a pattern of repeated war powers challenges from Kaine. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., noted that Kaine has introduced five such resolutions since Trump returned to office last year.
“These resolutions have been used only 11 times in 50 years,” Barrasso said. “The senator from Virginia alone accounts for nearly half of them. Yet Senator Kaine introduced zero war powers resolutions when Barack Obama and Joe Biden were president.”
The vote followed a closed-door Republican meeting Tuesday where senators discussed the conflict ahead of a classified briefing with senior administration officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan “Raizin” Caine, and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
Rubio told reporters after the Senate briefing that the administration had complied with the War Powers Act while also maintaining its long-held view that the law itself is unconstitutional. He added that congressional leaders were notified before the strikes began.
Rubio also addressed the circumstances leading to the operation, saying the president acted decisively when informed of the potential consequences if the United States did not move first.
“If you tell the President of the United States that if we don’t go first, we’re going to have more people killed and more people injured, the president is going to go first,” Rubio said. “That’s what he did. That’s what the president will always do.”
According to U.S. officials, Operation Epic Fury has targeted more than 2,000 sites across Iran, focusing primarily on air defense systems and missile infrastructure associated with the Iranian regime.
The operation has resulted in the deaths of six U.S. service members and nearly 50 senior Iranian leaders, according to officials.
Iranian authorities, meanwhile, say at least 1,045 people across the country have been killed since the campaign began.
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