Congress Splits on Iran War Powers Before Leaving Town; House Clears Budget Blueprint
In their final actions before adjourning for the weekend, the House and Senate reached opposite results Thursday on measures to force an end to the Iran war, though a majority of voting lawmakers in each chamber backed pulling U.S. troops out. Both chambers are now out of session, with the Senate not due back until Monday.
The defining action of the last 48 hours came Thursday, when Congress divided over how forcefully to challenge President Trump on the Iran war. The House, for the second time, formally called on the president to end the war, approving 214-208 a nonbinding concurrent resolution (H Con Res 89) by Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash. , according to Roll Call. A concurrent resolution expresses the will of Congress but does not carry the force of law.
Shortly afterward, the Senate took up a stronger, binding version. The Senate, in an 47-49 vote, fell just short of discharging from the Foreign Relations Committee a binding joint resolution (S J Res 180) by Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., that would halt U.S. involvement in the conflict. Because the measure never cleared committee, it did not advance despite majority Democratic support. In the House vote, GOP Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Tom Barrett of Michigan voted with Democrats. On the Senate side, party lines also blurred: by a vote of 47-49, the Senate did not discharge S.J. Res. 180, the Van Hollen War Powers Resolution; Democratic Sen. Fetterman voted no, and GOP Sen. Collins voted aye.
The votes carried added weight because of an escalating conflict. According to NPR, 18 U.S. troops have died since fighting broke out in February, but four have died since July 17, and U.S. forces have also suffered nearly 500 injuries, with 100 of those coming in the past two weeks, according to the Pentagon. Al Jazeera reported that under the 1973 War Powers Act, presidents must receive congressional approval within 60 days of committing troops; the Trump administration claimed hostilities had "terminated" following a temporary pause reached in April, but war powers experts and some members of Congress have said the attempted workaround flouts the law. The administration has since notified Congress that fighting resumed. Congress passed a similar resolution last month.
The Iran votes capped a busy legislative week. On Wednesday the House adopted its fiscal blueprint on a near party-line tally. H CON RES 113, establishing the congressional budget for fiscal year 2027 and setting budgetary levels for fiscal years 2028 through 2036, was agreed to 216-214, with Republicans voting 216 yea and 2 nay and Democrats unanimously opposed. A budget resolution sets spending and revenue targets but is not signed by the president. The same day, the House passed H.R. 7008, the Stop Insider Trading Act, 232-198, with Republicans voting 218-0 and Democrats 13-198. On Thursday, the House passed H.R. 8884, the Removing Barriers to Work for Disabled Americans Act, 232-188, with 19 Democrats joining all voting Republicans.
The Senate also processed nominations before leaving. It confirmed two judges Thursday: by a vote of 48-47, the Senate confirmed Daniel Mack Traynor to be a U.S. Circuit Judge for the Eighth Circuit in a party-line vote, and it confirmed Antonio M. Pozos as a district judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 49-44.
Both chambers have now gone quiet. Congress.gov shows no floor activity for the Senate on Friday, July 24, and at 4:58 p.m. Thursday the Senate stood adjourned until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, July 27th. Senators are expected to return to a roll call vote that evening. The House has likewise finished its scheduled votes for the week.
Highlights: - The House passed H.Con.Res.89, a nonbinding resolution directing President Trump to end hostilities with Iran, by 214-208, with four Republicans joining Democrats. - The Senate fell short on a parallel binding measure, voting 47-49 against discharging Sen. Chris Van Hollen's S.J.Res.180 from committee. - Earlier in the week the House narrowly adopted its FY2027 budget resolution (H.Con.Res.113) 216-214 and passed the Stop Insider Trading Act (H.R.7008) 232-198.