WASHINGTON — The Senate has failed to override a presidential veto of a bipartisan resolution declaring that President Donald Trump must get backing from Congress before engaging in further military action against Iran.
Trump vetoed the measure Wednesday, calling it “insulting” and an attempt to divide the Republican party ahead of the presidential election.
The resolution’s chief sponsor, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, said it was not about Trump or the presidency, but instead was an important reassertion of congressional power to declare war.
"For the President to say it is insulting for Congress to take up matters of war and peace and that we should not have passed the resolution, to me demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the importance of the Article One branch," Kaine said.
But Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma argued for upholding the veto.
"If we tie the President's hands so he cannot defend American lives, we leave ourselves more vulnerable and therefore make war infinitely more likely," he said.
The override attempt was defeated Thursday, with 49 senators voting in favor of the override and 44 opposed.
The measure needed two-thirds support to be approved.