The Situation Room - June 24th

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I’m Atlas, and welcome to The Situation Room! We cover the most high impact geopolitical developments every Wednesday!

Today’s topics:

• Senate Votes With House In Favor Of Pausing Military Action Against Iran

• U.S. Presses More Sanctions On Cuba’s Economy

• E.U. Officials Hold First Time Meeting With Taliban Over Deportations

Senate Votes With House In Favor Of Pausing Military Action Against Iran

_{By: Atlas}

The Senate voted Tuesday to direct President Donald Trump to halt U.S. military operations against Iran, marking the first time both chambers of Congress have approved a war powers resolution since the 1973 statute that created the mechanism.

The 50-48 vote came on the tenth Senate attempt to constrain the campaign Trump launched on February 28, and it succeeded only because two Republicans who would have opposed the measure missed the vote.

The Tally

Four Republicans crossed party lines to support the resolution: Susan Collins of Maine, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky. The same four had backed earlier versions of the measure.

One Democrat, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against it. Fetterman has been among his party's more hawkish voices on the conflict.

Two Republicans were absent. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was hospitalized this month for an undisclosed condition, and Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania was traveling with Trump for a factory visit and economic remarks in his home state. Their absence left the GOP short of the numbers needed to defeat the resolution.

Majority Leader John Thune said the outcome turned on those absences, noting that without the attendance issues Republicans would have blocked the measure. He argued the vote sent the wrong signal while the administration negotiates with Tehran.

The House cleared the identical resolution on June 3 by a vote of 215-208. Four Republicans in that chamber — Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Warren Davidson of Ohio — joined Democrats.

A Disputed Legal Effect

The measure is a concurrent resolution, a form that does not go to the president's desk for signature or veto. That structure is the source of an unresolved dispute over whether the vote carries any force.

Supporters point to the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which Congress designed to let lawmakers end military operations through this kind of measure. Gregory Meeks of New York, who sponsored the resolution in the House, said he considers it binding and would pursue all legal avenues to compel compliance.

The White House rejected that reading. An administration official said the vote carried no significance because the resolution does not reach the president and because hostilities had already ended with a ceasefire on April 7. The administration has long maintained that the War Powers Resolution is unconstitutional.

The question is complicated by a 1983 Supreme Court ruling holding that measures meant to override executive action must be presented to the president for signature or veto. No war powers resolution had previously passed both chambers, leaving the issue untested. Legal analysts expect the courts to settle it, while noting it is unclear who would have standing to sue.

The Deal Behind the Vote

Discontent over the agreement Trump struck to end the war drove much of the vote. The president signed a memorandum of understanding last week that started a 60-day clock for a broader accord on Iran's nuclear program.

Several Republicans objected to the terms, particularly a proposed $300 billion fund to rebuild Iran, financed by Gulf Arab states. By comparison, the 2015 nuclear agreement returned roughly $1.7 billion to Tehran. Defense hawks including Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi questioned both the fund and provisions that would allow Iran to enrich uranium to near-weapons-grade levels.

Ted Cruz of Texas said last week that Trump was getting very poor advice on Iran.

Vice President JD Vance traveled to Switzerland over the weekend to lead talks with Iranian officials. Vance and Trump have said Iran agreed to admit nuclear inspectors; Tehran has denied making that concession. The two sides have also disagreed publicly over Iran's claimed right to enrich uranium.

Some Republicans argued the vote itself could undermine the talks. James Risch of Idaho warned that passage might prompt Iran to walk away from negotiations.

Cost, Polling and Next Steps

The war has proven unpopular. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released Tuesday found that about one in four Americans believed the conflict had been worth its cost.

The financial toll has fed that sentiment. The Pentagon estimated the first week of fighting cost $11.3 billion, and lawmakers cited expert estimates placing the total near $100 billion for the operation, designated Operation Epic Fury. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is on Capitol Hill seeking roughly $80 billion in supplemental funding to replenish depleted munitions and stockpiles.

That request sits within a larger push. The administration is seeking about $1.5 trillion in defense funding this year, a nearly 50 percent increase, including $350 billion it wants moved through budget reconciliation.

Democrats framed the vote as a constitutional matter. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who has led the party's war powers efforts, said the pause in fighting offered an opening for Congress to weigh the next phase rather than leaving the decision to one man. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would keep forcing such votes.

Trump is scheduled to address Senate Republicans at their lunch Wednesday, where he is expected to press skeptics on the agreement. He has said critics, including allies, need to be educated on the deal. He has also warned that he could strike Iran again if Tehran does not rein in its proxies in Lebanon, where Israeli operations have continued despite the ceasefire.

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