Is Trump’s Iran War Over? What a War Powers Resolution vote means in negotiations – explained

The War Powers Resolution is a 1973 federal law designed to limit the president’s ability to initiate or escalate military operations overseas without congressional approval.

However, the approval of the War Powers Resolution does not mean that the war in Iran will stop immediately.

Reuters called the vote “largely symbolic.” The bill must pass the Senate to take effect and must receive a two-thirds majority in both chambers. The agency noted that it would also have to overcome an “almost certain” veto from Trump.

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So this is just the first step toward a possible end to the war with Iran, and until Congress and the Senate pass the resolution and Trump agrees, the best path to a solution right now remains the peace deal the president is working on.

The approval reflected growing opposition to the war. New York House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said earlier, “This reckless and costly war of choices needs to end today. All we need is a handful of Republicans to join us and we can end this reckless and costly war of choices – a war that has cost American taxpayers more than $100 billion – extraordinary – and left our country in a weak position relative to Iran.”

This is the fourth time the House has tried to curb the U.S. war with Iran and the first time the House has been able to pass the measure. Meanwhile, the Senate introduced its own war powers resolution last month, with some Republican senators making a rare break with Trump.

Even if approval of the War Powers Resolution does not prevent a war, it would take “symbolic and even legal steps” toward more military action against Iran, according to the Associated Press.