Overview
- Following Wednesday's 51-46 Senate vote, Republicans blocked a fifth Democratic War Powers bid, with Rand Paul backing the measure and John Fetterman opposing it.
- The War Powers law’s 60-day clock, triggered by the March 2 notification to Congress, is about to expire and would require authorization or a wind-down, and several Republicans say a one-time 30-day withdrawal extension is likely.
- Republican support shows some strain as Sen. Lisa Murkowski explores an authorization plan and GOP figures like Sen. John Curtis and Rep. Brian Mast warn backing may wane after 60 days.
- The fighting and its fallout have killed 13 Americans and at least 3,646 people in Iran, and energy prices have risen as Iran has limited traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the United States has enforced a blockade of Iran’s ports.
- Talks continue under a fragile cease-fire that Trump said he extended indefinitely, Iran’s military claimed to seize two cargo ships, and Democrats plan weekly votes even though a presidential veto would likely meet any resolution that passes.