January 10, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

In responding to the insurgency situation between Iran and the US after US President Donald Trump ordered the bombing and killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani on January 3, the US House of Representatives on January 9 approved a tentative resolution targeted at containing President Trump's power to attack Iran in the future without congressional approval. The House passed the war powers resolution to limit President Trump against Iran by 224 to 194 votes under the majority held by the Democratic Party.

The US Representative from Michigan and a member of the Democratic Party, Elissa Blair Slotkin, introduced the resolution so as to demand President Trump to stop military force against Iran within 30 days if without congressional approval. The measure is a concurrent resolution which President Trump cannot veto it and it does not carry the force of law.

In addition, Senator Timothy Michael Kaine from Virginia and a member of the Democratic Party has also put forward a similar resolution in the Senate. But most likely, it may not pass under the Republican majority held Senate. Meanwhile, Republicans opposed the war powers resolution and contended it would dangerously limit President Trump’s power to quickly respond to defend the US under hostilities.

Photo:Webshot.