For the third time, the U.S. House voted 220-204 on Tuesday to approve a war powers resolution halting President Donald Trump’s military action in Iran without congressional authorization. Seven Republicans joined all voting Democrats, as a nonpartisan budget analysis revealed the nearly seven-month conflict has cost $38 billion.
House Approves War Powers Resolution in 220-204 Vote
The U.S. House of Representatives voted for a third time to end the war in Iran, passing a concurrent resolution designed to force the White House to pull American forces from hostilities. The late Tuesday roll call finished at 220 to 204, matching the general contours of earlier votes taken earlier in the summer.
Democratic Representative Seth Moulton of Massachusetts introduced the measure, designated as House Concurrent Resolution 93, which directs the president to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress formally declares war or authorizes military force.
While the measure successfully cleared the House, its path forward remains narrow. None of the previous resolutions have reached the president’s desk, where Donald Trump would almost certainly veto the measure. Furthermore, legal scholars and the Congressional Research Service note that concurrent resolutions raise questions regarding whether Congress can unilaterally mandate troop withdrawals without presidential signature, following historical Supreme Court precedent.
Seven Republicans Defect From Party Line to Back Resolution
Tuesday’s tally secured more Republican defections than either of the previous war powers votes held in June and July. Seven GOP lawmakers crossed party lines to support the resolution, up from the four who backed earlier efforts.
Iowa Republican Zach Nunn similarly defended his vote on the floor, arguing that with the negotiating window closed, sustained combat operations now require congressional authorization, adding that he will not support another open-ended war
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Opposing the measure, Republican leaders defended the administration’s ongoing military posture. Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, argued that the president is actively dismantling forever wars, and that is what he is ending, maintaining that Iran continues to present an active danger to American security interests.
CBO Report Details Billions in War Costs and Rising Inflation
The legislative vote coincided with the release of a nonpartisan analysis from the Congressional Budget Office detailing the financial toll of the conflict, which began on February 28.
The CBO reported that direct military operations through August 1 cost the Defense Department about $38 billion. The budget office warned that expenses will continue climbing between $2 billion and $3 billion per month, driven heavily by munitions replenishment, which is estimated to require $21.7 billion alone.
| Financial and Economic Metric | CBO Projection / Sourced Figure |
|---|---|
| Total Direct Cost (Through August 1) | $38 billion |
| Monthly War Expense | $2 billion to $3 billion |
| Munitions Replacement Expense | $21.7 billion |
| Projected Inflation Increase (Early 2027) | 0.5 percentage points |
In addition to direct expenditures, the CBO projected that the conflict will increase inflation by 0.5 percentage points in the first three months of 2027. Lawmakers noted that disrupted oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz have kept energy prices elevated, weighing heavily on voters ahead of the midterm elections.
Senate Outlook and Midterm Election Stakes
With lawmakers preparing to leave Washington to campaign full-time ahead of the November midterms, the legislative focus shifts to the Senate. Previous Senate efforts to challenge the administration’s war strategy experienced swift reversals. In June, the Senate approved a war powers measure before Republican senators reversed course following a closed-door visit from the president.
As voters prepare to head to the polls with control of Congress hanging in the balance, public sentiment remains largely skeptical of the engagement.
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