Senate fails to advance measure directing Trump to end Iran conflict despite four GOP defections

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The Senate on Tuesday failed to advance a measure directing President Trump to withdraw U.S.  forces from hostilities against Iran despite four Republican senators breaking ranks and voting in favor.

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) voted for a motion, sponsored by Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), to discharge the war powers resolution out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The motion to discharge failed 47 to 48 as centrist Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted with Republicans to block it. Five senators missed the vote: Sens. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The four Republicans had voted for a similar motion to discharge a war powers resolution sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) out of the Foreign Relations Committee last month. That motion passed 50-47.

Maverick Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) indicated before Tuesday’s vote that he was thinking about joining the four in voting yes.

“I’m waiting to hear arguments on either side but at this point I think we really do have to ask ourselves — I don’t even know what we’re doing right now,” Tillis, who has broken with Trump on a number of issues this year, said.

“Are we in a ceasefire? Are we in an agreement that is basically a new agreement on a ceasefire? Are we working toward a real lasting agreement that may be subject to ratification by Congress?” he said.

“If you got all that uncertainty then maybe if we do still think that the U.S. forces need to be put at risk and be kept there than we probably should be talking about an authorization for the use of military force,” he added.

Ultimately, Tillis voted no but he left his colleagues in suspense for more than 45 minutes, walking onto the floor late into the roll call to point his index finger downward to signal a “no.”

Democrats, however, think that Tillis or another Republican might be persuaded to switch their vote next week or next month, whenever Kaine calls up a vote on a motion to proceed to his war powers resolution.

Kaine would need to muster at least one more Republican to approve a motion to proceed.

The Virginia senator expressed confidence last week about finding a fifth GOP colleague to send an anti-war message to Trump.

“We think we can have a narrow win,” Kaine told The Hill last week.

“I don’t have one absolutely pinned down but I think I’m close,” he said.

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Bernie Sanders

Bill Cassidy

Cory Booker

John Fetterman

Josh Hawley

Lisa Murkowski

Michael Bennet

Mitch McConnell

Rand Paul

Raphael Warnock

Susan Collins

Thom Tillis

Tim Kaine

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