Congress passes war powers measure for first time, breaking with Trump over Iran

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution on March 11, 2020, directing President Donald Trump to end U.S. military involvement in hostilities against Iran. This vote marked the first time in 45 years that Congress has invoked the War Powers Act of 1973 to limit a president's military actions. The resolution passed by a 224-194 vote, largely along party lines, with 12 Republicans joining Democrats in support. While the resolution is largely symbolic and does not have the force of law to immediately halt military action, it signifies Congress's assertion of its constitutional authority over matters of war. Supporters argued that U.S. involvement in the conflict was not authorized by Congress and that the resolution was necessary to prevent further escalation. The vote followed increased tensions between the U.S. and Iran after the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani on January 3, 2020. The Senate had previously rejected a similar resolution in February 2020.