The US House voted this week to end the war against Iran, with 7 Republicans crossing party lines to join Democrats. This is not the first time Congress has tried to stop the war, but it shows growing unease inside the president's own party.
Quick Take
- The House passed a war powers resolution to end the Iran war; 7 Republicans voted with Democrats.
- A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report says the war has cost $38 billion over six months and is rising by $3 billion a month.
- The war is expected to push inflation up by 0.5 percentage points in early 2027.
- The Senate already tried to end the war once, on its 10th attempt, but reversed course a day later after Trump pushed back.
- Congress has the power to declare war, but the president can still act as commander-in-chief, making these resolutions hard to enforce.
Why This Vote Matters
Trump promised during his campaign that he would keep the US out of foreign wars. Now his own party is split over Iran.
Most Americans agree the war has not been worth it. An AP-NORC poll from July found that a majority of people say the fighting has not paid off.
The Money Problem
War is expensive, and this one is getting more expensive fast. The nonpartisan CBO says the fight has already cost $38 billion in six months.
"The cost of the six-month war has reached $38bn and is expected to rise by $3bn per month."
That means prices for everyday things could keep climbing too. The CBO expects the war to add half a percentage point to inflation in the first three months of 2027 — money problems that hit regular people's wallets, not just the government's budget.
A Repeated Fight In Congress
This is not Congress's first attempt to stop the war. Here is how the timeline has played out:
| When | What Happened |
|---|---|
| June | House passes first war powers resolution against the Iran war |
| July | House passes a second resolution |
| Recent | Senate passes a resolution on its 10th try |
| Next day | Senate Republicans reverse their votes after Trump pushes back at a closed-door lunch |
| This week | House passes resolution again, with 7 Republicans joining Democrats |
The War Powers Act, made after the Vietnam War, says the president needs Congress's okay to keep fighting past 60 or 90 days. But the president can still veto these resolutions, so most of these votes end up more symbolic than binding.
What's Next
With elections less than 50 days away, lawmakers are heading home to campaign. Whether this vote turns into real pressure on Trump, or just another symbolic move Congress can't enforce, will depend on what happens when he responds.
Source: Al Jazeera
