House Republicans Delay Iran War Powers Vote Until June

House Republicans abruptly pulled a scheduled vote Thursday on a war powers resolution that would have forced President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before continuing military operations against Iran. The move came after it became clear that enough GOP lawmakers were absent or prepared to break ranks, leaving leaders without the votes needed to block the Democratic-backed measure.

The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, would rein in Trump's authority to wage war without lawmakers' consent under the 1973 War Powers Resolution. It arrives nearly three months after Trump launched the conflict on Feb. 28 without prior congressional authorization. A shaky ceasefire has held since early April, yet the underlying operation continues amid rising costs and eroding political support on both sides of the aisle.

Lawmakers will now confront the issue after returning from Memorial Day recess, with a vote expected in June. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise acknowledged the timing problem, telling reporters that some Republicans who wanted to be recorded on the measure were simply not present. Democrats saw the delay differently. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other top Democrats issued a joint statement accusing Republicans of acting in a "cowardly" fashion by refusing to hold members accountable during a period when the nation prepares to honor its war dead.

The war's toll has become harder for lawmakers to ignore. The Pentagon has reported at least 13 U.S. service members killed and hundreds wounded, with overall costs already reaching $25 billion. Global energy markets have been disrupted, contributing to higher gasoline prices at home. Those realities have chipped away at earlier Republican unity. Last week the House rejected a similar resolution in a 212-212 tie after three Republicans crossed party lines. Earlier this week the Senate advanced its own version with support from four GOP senators.

Thursday's cancellation marked the latest indication that congressional backing for the conflict is fragile. Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Republicans "had the votes without question and they knew it," adding that they were now "playing a political game." The episode underscores a familiar pattern: when faced with the prospect of a bipartisan rebuke on a matter of war and peace, the Republican majority chose procedural delay over an open floor test.

Critics argue the maneuver allows the administration to keep the conflict on autopilot while Congress recesses. Supporters of the resolution maintain that continued operations without explicit legislative consent violate both the spirit and letter of the War Powers Resolution. With the vote now postponed until after Memorial Day, lawmakers on both sides will have additional time to weigh whether to place new limits on a president who began the fighting without their approval.