House votes to limit Trump’s war power on Iran

Jan 10, 2020
Washington: The US House of Representatives has approved a largely symbolic resolution seeking to restrict President Donald Trump’s power to take military actions against Iran without congressional approval.

The Democrat-controlled House voted 224 to 194 to pass the resolution on Thursday, roughly along the party line, reports Xinhua news agency.

The resolution directs the President to terminate the use of US military to engage in hostilities in or against Iran, unless he gets authorization from Congress or the use of force was necessary.

The vote came days after the January 3 drone attack ordered by Trump killed Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, former commander of the Quds Force of Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, which has raised fears of an uncontrolled conflict between Washington and Tehran.

Following the vote, Democratic Representative Elissa Slotkin, the lead sponsor of the resolution, said that it was “intended to make clear that, if the President wants to take us to war, he must get authorization from Congress”.

Slotkin, who previously worked for the Central Intelligence Agency and the Department of Defence, noted that the behaviour of Soleimani did not mean that the Trump administration “can disregard the Constitution by engaging in a wider war, without consulting first with Congress”.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump called on all Republican Congressmen to vote against the resolution.

“Hope that all House Republicans will vote against Crazy Nancy Pelosi’s war powers resolution,” Trump tweeted, calling the vote “presidential harassment”.

Most Republicans argued in the floor that the resolution was a show vote intended to undermine Trump.

The vote came one day after Democratic lawmakers, joined by several Republicans, voiced frustrations about the lack of information at a closed-door briefing on Iran from the administration officials.

“I find this (the briefing) insulting and demeaning, not personally, but to the office that each of the 100 senators in this building happens to hold,” Republican Senator Mike Lee said after the briefing.

The resolution also comes after Iran on Wednesday fired over a dozen ballistic missile targeting two US military bases in Iraq, in retaliation to Soleimani’s killing.

Neither the US nor Iran has declared plans for further military action. IANS

SC reserves decision on TN govt’s plea against Governor withholding assent to Bills

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a writ petition filed by the Tamil Nadu government claiming that the Governor has positioned himself as a "political...

Pakistan: Massive protest by lawyers leads to chaos in Islamabad

Islamabad: Chaos ruled in Pakistan's capital Islamabad once again as lawyers of the country took to the streets on Monday, protesting against a meeting being held at the Supreme Court...

Sonia Gandhi seeks early Census to include 14 crore people in food subsidy scheme

New Delhi: Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson and Rajya Sabha MP, Sonia Gandhi, on Monday demanded an early conduct of the Census, claiming that its four-year delay has denied social benefits,...

Indian metal stocks fall as Trump threatens new tariffs

Mumbai: Shares of domestic metal companies on Monday declined sharply after the US President Donald Trump announced to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports....

Manipur CM resigned only after political embarrassment: Priyanka Chaturvedi

New Delhi: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi strongly criticised the delay in Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh's resignation, following a two-year-long period of violence and unrest in the...

PM Modi departs for Paris to co-chair AI Action Summit, hold talks with Prez Macron

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday emplaned for Paris, France, where he is set to co-chair the highly anticipated AI Action Summit alongside French President Emmanuel Macron. The...

Massive 300-km traffic jam on route to Maha Kumbh leaves lakhs of pilgrims stranded

Prayagraj: A sea of vehicles stretching up to 300 kilometres turned the roads leading to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj into a massive parking lot, leaving lakhs...

Israeli forces begin withdrawing from key Gaza corridor under ceasefire deal

Jerusalem: Israeli forces have begun withdrawing from a key area in Gaza as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement that took effect last month, an Israeli government official said on...

Israel expands West Bank operation, raids Nur Shams refugee camp

Jerusalem: Israeli forces expanded their military operation in the occupied West Bank on Sunday, launching a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp, a military spokesperson said. The Israel Defense...

Will play role of constructive Opposition, make BJP fulfil its promises to the people: Atishi

New Delhi: Outgoing Delhi Chief Minister Atishi said on Sunday that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will play the role of a constructive opposition and make the Bharatiya Janata Party...

Atishi submits resignation as Delhi CM to L-G VK Saxena

New Delhi: AAP leader Atishi on Sunday submitted her resignation from the Chief Minister's post following the party's defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections at the hands of the BJP....

Dreams of Sahib Singh Verma will now be fulfilled: Parvesh Verma

New Delhi: BJP's winning candidate from the New Delhi Assembly constituency, Parvesh Verma, received a grand welcome in his native village, Mundka, on Sunday. Following his victory over AAP National...

Read Previous

December auto sales decline by over 13%

Read Next

SC limits its concern to finding balance between liberty & security of J&K people

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com