US House blocks Lebanon war powers resolution
Measure introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib fails as Democratic leaders back alternative effort to prevent US involvement in Lebanon conflict
The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a war powers resolution aimed at preventing US military involvement in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, where airstrikes by Tel Aviv have killed thousands since early March.
The "Lebanon War Powers Resolution," introduced by Rep. Rashida Tlaib, failed in a 92-324 vote, with two members voting present. The measure sought to direct the president to remove any US armed forces present in Lebanon out of the country within seven days of adoption.
Following the vote, Tlaib expressed deep regret over the outcome but vowed to press forward with her efforts. In a statement, she said her resolution was a critical step toward ending US participation in "the Israeli apartheid regime's ongoing brutal invasion, indiscriminate bombing, and ethnic cleansing campaign in Lebanon."
While Tlaib lamented that "far too many" of her colleagues failed to recognize the severity of the situation in Lebanon, she expressed gratitude to the lawmakers who voted in favor of the measure.
"This fight is not over," Tlaib said. "The Lebanese people continue to be subjected to violent forced displacement, illegal military occupation, and deadly US-funded bombs."
She added that she looks forward to House Democratic leadership "swiftly delivering on their promise to support H.Con.Res. 108, a new Lebanon War Powers Resolution, and reassert Congressional authority to put an end to US. participation in this unjust invasion."
Earlier Thursday, House Democratic leadership had announced that they would vote against Tlaib’s initial resolution, opting instead to signal support for another war powers resolution that Tlaib introduced on Wednesday.
"We stand with the Lebanese people, the government of Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces in their efforts to live peacefully and defeat Hezbollah, a violent terrorist organization that is a sworn enemy of the United States," Democratic leaders said in a joint statement.
The statement also emphasized that they did not support any effort by the Trump administration to entangle the United States in a war in Lebanon or other parts of the Middle East. It noted that "currently, there are no US service members involved in combat operations or hostilities in Lebanon."
The vote comes a day after Lebanon and Israel agreed to renew their fragile ceasefire and establish “pilot zones” placing the Lebanese army in exclusive territorial control, with all non-state actors excluded.
The agreement was announced in a joint statement released following a fourth round of US-mediated talks held at the State Department on Wednesday.
The US-sponsored talks followed weeks of near-daily Israeli strikes on Lebanon that have killed nearly 3,500 people since March 2, despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 17 and was later extended until early July.
