Murkowski pushes Senate GOP toward Iran war vote as Thune holds back

Sen. Lisa Murkowski is pressing fellow Senate Republicans to vote on authorizing military force against Iran beyond the War Powers Act's 60-day window, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune has not committed to scheduling a vote on her measure, leaving the timing of any floor action uncertain.

The Details

Murkowski is trying to force a GOP-led showdown over whether Congress should authorize continued military action against Iran now that the statutory deadline has passed, The Hill reported on Monday. A senior GOP aide told the outlet no vote had been scheduled as of that date.

CBS News reported on May 1 that Murkowski was drafting a formal authorization for the use of military force against Iran but had not yet introduced the legislation. The report came as the 60-day deadline arrived.

Murkowski has argued any authorization should include specific conditions. "It would require metrics for success, notice of any changes in objectives and exit criteria," she said, according to The Hill. "It would ultimately ensure that Congress is engaged."

Thune, when asked about the prospect of scheduling an authorization vote, said: "At this point, I don't see that," The Hill reported. The Guardian previously reported that Thune said he did not see an Iran authorization vote at that point, while Murkowski said she would introduce a limited authorization when the Senate returned if the administration still lacked a "credible plan."

Context

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 generally requires a president to end military action within 60 days absent a declaration of war or congressional authorization, with a limited extra period for withdrawal, according to CBS News. President Trump formally notified Congress of strikes against Iran on March 2, starting the clock cited in later Senate debate.

The Hill previously reported that Murkowski, Thom Tillis, Susan Collins, and John Curtis said Congress would need to weigh in if military action extended beyond the War Powers Act timeline, while Thune had no near-term plan to bring an authorization vote.

Collins warned she would not support extending hostilities beyond the 60-day threshold except for wind-down activities, according to The Hill.

Curtis wrote in a Deseret News opinion piece that he would not support ongoing military action beyond a 60-day window without congressional approval. His public position reinforced the bloc Murkowski is trying to organize.

Republicans had already blocked multiple Democratic war powers resolutions before Murkowski's push for a GOP-led authorization fight intensified, The Guardian reported.

There is a live legal and political dispute over whether the 60-day clock is still running during the Iran ceasefire. Legal experts quoted by CBS News said the law does not allow a ceasefire to pause or reset the president's obligation to obtain authorization or wind down hostilities. Administration officials and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have argued the ceasefire either paused the 60-day clock or terminated hostilities for War Powers purposes, according to CBS News and The Guardian. The interpretation remains unresolved.

Any statement that Murkowski has enough Republican support to pass an authorization should be attributed to reporting or senator statements, not stated as settled fact, according to the available sourcing.

What's Next

The Guardian reported that Murkowski said she would introduce a limited authorization when the Senate returned if the administration still lacked a "credible plan." Thune's resistance means the timing of any vote remains uncertain.

The Hill reported that several Republicans could defect to a Democratic war powers resolution if no GOP authorization vote occurs, a claim that relies on Capitol Hill sourcing. The exact whip count for Murkowski's proposed authorization is unclear; support should be reported as a push or effort unless a vote count is sourced.

The dispute over whether the War Powers Act 60-day clock can be paused or reset during a ceasefire remains unresolved, leaving the legal and political path forward unclear. Any description of the 60-day deadline, pause, or reset theory should note that legal and political interpretations differ and should be attributed to the outlet or speaker.