WASHINGTON — Republicans easily rebuffed an effort by Democrats to force the House of Representatives to vote on President Donald Trump’s Iran war on Thursday.
The House and Senate are both on vacation but each chamber periodically holds short “pro forma” sessions where a Republican member gavels the chamber into session, then immediately gavels out.
During a House pro forma on Thursday, Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) tried to interrupt the proceedings to demand the House vote on a War Powers Resolution. It didn’t work: Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) ignored him and banged the gavel.
Still, Democrats made a spectacle of the proceedings, with a half dozen lawmakers attending the session and then speaking to reporters on the House steps afterward.
“Democrats are here on the Hill, saying to the Congress, saying to the speaker of the House, have us back in session so that we would live up to our constitutional responsibility,” Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-Pa.) said.
