The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted 49-50 against a resolution that would have required an end to the war between the United States and Iran. All but four Republican senators opposed the measure, while Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against it.
The failed vote means President Donald Trump will not immediately face a new congressional requirement to change his military actions against Iran. But the war's impact on energy prices is becoming an economic issue for U.S. consumers, farmers and trucking companies, as well as for Republican lawmakers preparing for the midterm elections.
Senate vote falls short of the threshold
The measure was a joint resolution under the War Powers Resolution. If approved by the Senate, it would have required the president to withdraw from hostilities in or against Iran unless Congress expressly authorized continued military action. The House had already passed the resolution in July, and it needed 50 Senate votes to clear the chamber.
The Republicans who supported the measure were Tom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky. The Democratic-led effort sought to reinforce Congress's role in decisions on war, but the 49-50 result left current policy unchanged.
Unlike legislation with binding force, the joint resolution would not have been sent to the president for signature. Even if passed, its immediate legal effect would have been limited. The vote therefore served primarily as a measure of congressional opposition to the military campaign and of lawmakers' concerns that the executive branch had acted without congressional authorization.
Democrats accuse Trump of bypassing Congress
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who has pushed for repeated votes on the issue, said the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and that the president's current actions violate the Constitution, the War Powers Act and earlier congressional resolutions.
Kaine said Congress should not have to vote on the same issue again because the president should comply with existing law. But as the war has continued for months, supporters of the resolution have sought to broaden backing in Congress while responding to public opposition to the conflict.
The Senate has held several votes on similar measures since the war began, including one that previously passed. Support among some Republicans has increased in recent weeks, partly because the administration has not sought the formal authorization demanded by Congress and has repeatedly delayed the relevant timetable.
Average gasoline price reaches $4.48 a gallon
U.S. fuel prices have continued to rise during the war. The national average price for gasoline is now $4.48 a gallon, according to AAA data. Diesel prices have also climbed rapidly, adding to operating costs for farmers and trucking companies.
Higher energy costs are putting added pressure on Republican lawmakers from the Midwest. Some have begun to distance themselves from the White House and publicly call for an end to the war. For households, gasoline and diesel prices feed directly into commuting costs, farm production and freight expenses. For markets, the duration of the conflict and changes in energy supply remain important variables for inflation expectations.
Energy costs move closer to the midterm campaign
With less than six weeks until the U.S. midterm elections, members of Congress are expected to spend much of October back in their states campaigning. Republicans will have to explain what steps the administration plans to take to reduce gasoline and other living costs, while also addressing the effect of the war on government finances and household budgets.
North Dakota Republican Senator Kevin Cramer said that when lawmakers speak to voters under economic pressure, Republicans may have many policy achievements to discuss, but voters are more focused on what the government has changed for them recently. He also said partisan conflict would remain part of the campaign message.
The rejection of the resolution did not immediately change U.S. military policy toward Iran. But with the national gasoline average at $4.48 a gallon and diesel costs continuing to squeeze agriculture and trucking, the war's energy burden remains a factor in congressional votes and the midterm contest.