Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said Tuesday that he's secured the 51 Senate votes needed to pass a revised version of his war powers resolution, which would require President Trump to seek approval from Congress before taking further military action against Iran, per the AP.
Why it matters: The bipartisan resolution, which has the backing of Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), illustrates the degree to which the Trump administration's actions against Iran have tested the president's Republican allies.
The big picture: The House already passed a separate war powers resolution last week, but its version did not have the force of law. Republicans who support curbing Trump's military powers criticized House Democrats for not putting forth a binding resolution that would go to the president's desk for a signature.
- "This is a statement of the Congress of the United States," Speaker Pelosi said at the time. "I will not have that statement diminished by having the president veto it or not."
- The Senate resolution would likely be passed by the House and vetoed by the president. It's unlikely that either chamber would have the two-thirds majority necessary to override the veto.
What to watch: The Senate could vote as soon as next week on the measure, according to Kaine.
Go deeper: House passes war powers resolution condemning military action against Iran
