The US House of Representatives on Thursday blocked a legislative bid to curb President Donald Trump’s authority to conduct military operations against Iran.

The rejection marks another setback for Democrats in their ongoing campaign to reassert congressional control over military actions in the Middle East.

The measure sought to invoke the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which would have required the President to terminate military hostilities against Tehran unless specifically authorized by Congress.

Despite rising unease on Capitol Hill regarding the six-week-old conflict—including concerns over an unclear endgame and the potential for a broader regional war—the vote largely followed party lines.

Only one Republican supported the resolution, while one Democrat voted against it.

Democrats contend that the conflict, launched jointly with Israel on February 28, lacks the constitutional authorization required under the clause that grants Congress the sole power to declare war.

"We are standing at the edge of a cliff, and Congress must act before this president pushes us off," warned Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee. "Every day we delay, we inch closer to a conflict with no exit ramp."

Although the margin of defeat was narrower than a similar failed attempt in March, Republican support for the restriction remained thin.

President Trump continues to hold broad backing from his party, even as some lawmakers express frustration over the administration’s lack of transparency regarding the war's financial and military toll.

During congressional hearings this week, White House Budget Director Russ Vought declined to provide a cost estimate for the war.

He refused to confirm a figure suggested by Senator Jeff Merkley, who estimated the taxpayer burden at approximately USD 50 billion to date.

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the ongoing expenditure, stating, "The reality is this war is costing the American people, taxpayers, billions of dollars a day, at the same time when Republicans are ripping healthcare away from the American people."

Despite the defeat in the House and a similar rejection in the Senate a day prior, Democratic leaders have vowed to continue forcing votes on the issue to ensure lawmakers remain on the record regarding the conflict.

Source: AFP