The House just voted down another attempt to limit President Trump’s military authority in Lebanon.
Lawmakers rejected a war powers resolution introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) in a 235-to-189 vote. Democrat leadership did eventually back the measure, which would have given the president seven days to pull U.S. troops out of any active hostilities in Lebanon.
The bill wouldn’t have touched routine security cooperation with the Lebanese military, nor would it have affected guards protecting U.S. embassies or diplomatic sites. That’s a bit of a pullback from Tlaib’s original proposal, which simply called for a total withdrawal of all U.S. forces within a week.
The measure was a revised version of a resolution that also failed earlier this month after Democrat leaders opposed it. The Senate narrowly rejected the first resolution.
The measure failed 48-47, falling one vote short of advancing. Republican Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Rand Paul (R-KY) joined Democrats in support, while Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) voted with most Republicans against it.
The resolution was introduced by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), who urged Republicans ahead of the vote to support the measure, arguing that Congress should have a say before the United States becomes involved in another war.
Earlier this month, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Democrat Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA), and Democrat Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-CA) said the language was changed because there are currently no U.S. service members engaged in combat or hostilities in Lebanon.
The vote comes as tensions in southern Lebanon continue to complicate efforts to finalize a U.S.-Iran peace agreement. Iran and Hezbollah have demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from the region, while a separate agreement between Israel and Lebanon ties any Israeli pullout to Hezbollah giving up its weapons. Hezbollah has rejected that demand.
Read the full article here