The Senate advanced an Iran war powers bill, aiming to force an end to the war with Iran, after Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) flipped his vote fresh off a resounding primary loss.The bill had previously been shot down because of a lack of Republican support. Cassidy is the key defection, as he previously withheld voting in favor of a measure that’s sure to anger Trump. With nothing to lose, he signaled he was now in favor.Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) had previously voted in favor of the resolution, putting the final tally at 50-47.
The vote was procedural, but a full vote will be held at a later date.
Trump has been wrestling with Congress for weeks over his ability to continue operations against Iran. The White House and many in Congress have disputed the time frame, with the White House arguing that its 60-day grace period to carry out combat operations is ongoing, as the ceasefire paused the countdown. Much of Congress maintains that the time frame is set from Feb. 28, when combat operations began.
Trump has held off from continuing combat operations in favor of negotiations and letting the U.S. blockade strangle Iran into submission. So far, combat operations and the blockade have caused an estimated $150 billion to over $300 billion in economic damage to Iran, with that total continuing to rise.
