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The U.S. House of Representatives has voted for the third time to restrict President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military action against Iran, with seven Republicans joining Democrats in support of the measure.
The resolution passed 220-204 on Tuesday, marking another congressional challenge to the president’s handling of the conflict. It received more Republican backing than previous attempts in June and July to limit Trump’s war powers.
Three additional Republican lawmakers — Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn of Iowa — voted in favour of the resolution, joining four Republicans who had supported earlier efforts: Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Thomas Massie of Kentucky.
Introduced by Democratic Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts, the resolution calls on the president “to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.” However, it remains uncertain whether the Senate will consider the measure before its final two scheduled weeks of session ahead of the November elections.
A similar resolution approved by the House in July has not advanced in the Senate, while another measure passed by both chambers in June faced opposition from the White House, which questioned its validity.
The vote comes six months after the start of the conflict, with lawmakers still debating the cost, duration, and strategic goals of the military campaign. The Trump administration has not presented a clear exit plan, even as it seeks additional funding for the war.
President Trump has defended the military operation, saying it has weakened Iran’s capabilities and predicting last week that “the war will end immediately after the election.”
Meanwhile, Republicans are seeking up to $73 billion in additional funding for the conflict through reconciliation. The effort has faced delays in the Senate because of disagreements over other provisions in the broader budget plan.
A Congressional Budget Office analysis estimated that the war could cost the United States between $2 billion and $3 billion monthly for as long as it continues. The office estimated direct costs from February 28 to August 1 at about $38 billion.
