WASHINGTON, June 25 (DC Times Online) — The Senate on Wednesday rejected Sen. Tim Kaine’s Iran war powers resolution 50-47 after President Donald Trump met privately with Republicans and criticized the chamber’s earlier effort to limit military action against Iran.
The Virginia Democrat’s measure would have required Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from hostilities involving Iran unless Congress approved further action. Sen. Rand Paul voted present, while Republicans Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski backed the resolution and Sen. John Fetterman voted no.
The vote came after the Senate approved a separate Iran resolution Tuesday that the House had already passed earlier in the month. Kaine’s proposal had cleared a procedural hurdle in the Senate last month on a 50-47 vote, with four Republicans then supporting it.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, who attended the closed-door lunch, said Trump “raised his voice” during the meeting and that “I lost my temper.” Trump later wrote on Truth Social that the vote “puts Iran on notice.”
CBS News reported that Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso helped line up support from key Republicans in the days before the vote, according to a person familiar with the discussions. Senators Mitch McConnell and Dave McCormick did not vote.
