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The US House of Representatives has passed a measure aimed at preventing President Donald Trump from taking further military action in Iran.
The largely symbolic 215-208 vote was a success after four Republicans joined Democrats in a public show of disapproval of the war, which began in February.
The vote aimed to pass the War Powers Resolution, which requires Trump to withdraw U.S. forces or seek congressional approval for the conflict.
It’s unclear what legal force this House measure would have. The White House rejected the merits of the resolution, calling it an unconstitutional attempt to restrict presidential power.
But its passage is significant because it adds pressure on the White House to end the war in Iran, as oil prices have soared and public opposition to the war has grown.
It was the House’s fourth attempt to rein in Trump’s war powers. The Senate introduced a similar resolution in May, but has yet to take a floor vote.
The measure considered Wednesday was a concurrent resolution. If it also passes the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate, it will not require the president’s signature, although it could face a legal challenge.
Wednesday’s vote marked the latest sign of division within Trump’s Republican Party, coming just days after a conservative revolt in Congress led his administration to withdraw plans for a $1.8 billion “anti-arms” fund for political allies.
In the House, Republicans Thomas Massie, Brian Fitzpatrick, Tom Barrett and Warren Davidson joined a united Democratic front to pass Wednesday’s resolution. Democrat Jared Golden of Maine, who previously voted against similar measures, this time lent his support.
“Congress alone declaring war is something we certainly need to protect ourselves from,” said Barrett, a Michigan Republican. Asked if he was worried about retaliation from Trump for his vote, Barrett replied: “I vote my conscience for what I think is right and I’m willing to accept that.”
Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, described the vote as “a significant bipartisan rebuke of President Trump’s illegal and costly war in Iran and the first step toward ending it once and for all.”
Meeks said Trump had failed to achieve the war’s stated goals, while driving up fuel prices at home and making it even more difficult to reach a diplomatic solution to Iran’s nuclear program.
“The passage of this [measure] “Today marks an important turning point: more and more Republicans are listening to their constituents who do not want another open-ended war in the Middle East,” said Meeks, who co-sponsored the resolution.
The United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28. Iran responded by attacking Israel and U.S. allied states in the Gulf, and effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global shipping.
In April, the United States announced it would impose a blockade on ships traveling to or from Iranian shores.
The United States and Iran reached a first ceasefire agreement on April 8.
Despite the deal, the United States has struck Iran in recent days, and Tehran responded with strikes against Kuwait, a U.S. ally. Before the vote, Trump again asserted that negotiations to end the war were going “very well” and could be finalized as soon as this weekend.
“We hit them pretty hard the night before, and actually last night,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Wednesday, referring to the strikes in Iran. “Some people would say they were slightly provoked because we took strong action for a different reason, so they reciprocated.”
The president added that most members of his administration hope to end the conflict quickly with a deal “without killing everyone.”
“In theory, they are about to sign a document, but we get along very well with them.”