Today on the Hill: Senate Votes to Limit Trump Military Powers Against Iran

The Senate will convene today to resume consideration of a “War Powers” resolution that would require President Donald Trump to withdraw any troops from military hostilities against Iran within 30 days. The resolution is expected to pass after four GOP Senators — Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), Mike Lee (R-UT), Rand Paul (R-KY), and Todd Young (R-IN) — announced their support for the effort late last week. President Trump announced yesterday that he would swiftly veto the measure, and the effort is not expected to earn enough support in Congress to override his action. 

In the lower chamber, House lawmakers are set to close out the week with a resolution that would eliminate the deadline for ratification of a Constitutional amendment that would prohibit gender-based discrimination. Ratified by both chambers of Congress in the 1970s, the Equal Rights Amendment fell three states short of the 38-state threshold for enactment prior to the 1982 deadline. However, three states legislatures — Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia — have ratified the amendment within the past three years, thus providing it with the necessary support for enactment should Congress vote to remove the deadline. While the measure could earn some bipartisan support in final passage later this morning, a path forward for the resolution remains difficult due to opposition from the White House and a slew of GOP state attorneys.