# Senate again rejects Iran war powers resolution  
**Published:** 2026-05-13T23:02:32.000Z  
**Source:** [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/us-senate-again-rejects-resolution-to-force-authorization-for-iran-war/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/senate-again-rejects-iran-war-powers-resolution

The U.S. Senate rejected a war powers resolution Wednesday to halt military operations in Iran, marking the seventh failed attempt to force President Donald Trump to obtain congressional authorization for the conflict. The vote failed 49-51, according to reporting from the [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/us-senate-again-rejects-resolution-to-force-authorization-for-iran-war/).

Sen. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., did not vote on the measure. The Nebraska senator has been a vocal supporter of Trump's military campaign in Iran, which began Feb. 28 as a joint operation with Israel targeting the Iranian regime's military infrastructure and nuclear capabilities. [Ricketts has emphasized Iran's threat to national security](https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/weekly_column/senator-ricketts-weekly-column-restoring-maximum-pressure-against-iran/), arguing the Trump administration's approach represents necessary strength against a longtime adversary.

The measure showed cracks in Republican unity, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, voting to support limiting Trump's authority for the first time. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, voted in favor for a second time since April 30. However, their support proved insufficient as the resolution fell two votes short of passage. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., joined Democrats in supporting the measure, while Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., opposed it, continuing a consistent voting pattern on previous resolutions.

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who sponsored the resolution, said the Iran war has turned out to be "nothing like" the victory Trump promised. "Both sides are still engaged in hostilities," Merkley said, challenging the administration's contention that the 60-day clock for military operations under the War Powers Act is suspended due to an April ceasefire.

The Trump administration maintains that [Operation Epic Fury has concluded](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/operation-epic-fury-has-ended-is-the-iran-war-over/), though recent exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz have contradicted that assertion. Trump told reporters Monday that any ceasefire is on "massive life support." Pentagon officials testified Tuesday that the war has cost $29 billion to date, with 13 American service members killed and 404 wounded.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., urged lawmakers to support the president while he conducts high-stakes diplomatic negotiations with Chinese officials. "I think it would be best if everybody hung together and supported the president," Thune said. The House is expected to take up a similar war powers resolution as soon as Thursday.

## Sources

- [Nebraska Examiner](https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/us-senate-again-rejects-resolution-to-force-authorization-for-iran-war/)
- [Senator Ricketts' statement on Iran policy](https://www.ricketts.senate.gov/weekly_column/senator-ricketts-weekly-column-restoring-maximum-pressure-against-iran/)
- [Al Jazeera reporting on Operation Epic Fury status](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/6/operation-epic-fury-has-ended-is-the-iran-war-over/)

---

This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Nebraska Examiner, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/05/13/repub/us-senate-again-rejects-resolution-to-force-authorization-for-iran-war/.