The Senate voted 50-48 on Tuesday to pass a war powers resolution directing President Trump to end military hostilities against Iran, marking the first time the chamber has approved such a measure in a rare bipartisan rebuke of the president’s conduct of the conflict.
Four Republicans—Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana—crossed party lines to join all Democrats in supporting the resolution, according to The Washington Post. The vote came hours after the House had advanced the same measure earlier this month by a 215-208 margin, also with Republican support.
This breakthrough represents a significant shift in the Senate’s handling of the Iran war. The chamber had attempted to advance war powers resolutions at least nine times before, with every previous effort failing to reach the 50-vote threshold required for passage. In March, the Senate rejected a resolution 47-53, according to Breaking Defense. A May vote also fell short, 49-50, with Senator Lisa Murkowski voting in favor alongside Republican colleagues Rand Paul and Susan Collins, according to The Guardian. The Senate’s inability to pass such measures had allowed Trump to continue military operations without explicit congressional approval.
The resolution directs Trump to withdraw U.S. armed forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress votes to declare war or explicitly authorizes the military action, according to the Wall Street Journal. However, the measure carries no legal binding force. Fox News reported that the symbolic resolution “won’t change policy,” and NPR characterized the vote as “largely symbolic.” The resolution does not require Trump’s signature to take effect, according to Senator Chuck Schumer, as quoted in social media statements reviewed by multiple outlets.
The war powers resolution has emerged as a flashpoint over congressional authority. The Senate had rejected multiple earlier attempts throughout 2026, including votes in April and June that fell short despite growing Republican defections. The April vote saw the Senate reject Democrats’ sixth attempt to limit Trump’s authority, according to CBS News. On June 15, just days before this week’s passage, the Senate failed to advance the measure again, according to AP News, even as four Republicans signaled support.
The bipartisan nature of Tuesday’s vote reflects deepening concern among lawmakers about the three-month-old conflict. The House passed its version on June 3 after four Republicans joined the Democratic majority in a 215-208 vote, marking the chamber’s first successful passage of such a resolution, according to Reuters and Time Magazine. That House vote itself represented a breakthrough after three failed attempts earlier in the spring.
Sources
- The Washington Post — Senate vote count (50-48), four Republicans who voted yes, and that the measure directs Trump to withdraw forces or seek congressional approval
- Politico — Senate vote passage on June 23, bipartisan nature of the rebuke, and context on Trump’s push for an Iran deal
- CNN — Senate vote tally (50-48), confirmation this is the first Senate approval, and Senator John Fetterman’s vote against
- Reuters — House passage details (215-208 vote), four House Republicans who voted yes, and four Senate Republicans who supported the measure
- ABC7 Bay Area — This was the 10th time the Senate attempted to stop the war, and the 50-48 vote represented a stunning turnaround from past efforts
- Breaking Defense — March Senate vote (47-53) rejecting an earlier war powers resolution
- The Guardian — May Senate vote (49-50) with Murkowski, Paul, and Collins voting in favor
- AP News — Senate approval of war powers resolution blocking U.S. military action against Iran, and June 15 failure to advance the measure
- Fox News — War powers resolution is symbolic and won’t change policy
- NPR — House passage on June 3 marked first successful House vote, and the measure is largely symbolic
- Wall Street Journal — Resolution directs president to remove armed forces from hostilities or seek congressional approval
- CBS News — Senate rejected Democrats’ sixth attempt to limit Trump’s authority in April
- Time Magazine — Four House Republicans joined Democrats in the June 3 House vote (215-208)
- Roll Call — House resolution by Rep. Gregory W. Meeks, D-N.Y., passed 215-208, and Senate voted 50-48 to adopt the same measure
