Unlike Yemen War Powers Vote, House’s Iran War Powers Vote
Not Binding, Will Never be Sent to the President < >
The House’s vote on a War Powers Resolution on Thursday to restrict the president’s ability to take military actions with regard to Iran does nothing of the sort.
Instead, it is a purely political vote that has no actual legal or legislative teeth behind it, and will never make it to the president’s desk even if the U.S. Senate also passes it because of the way House Democrat leadership under Speaker Nancy Pelosi structured the resolution.
The resolution, which Pelosi selected Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) to lead, is structured as what is called a “concurrent resolution” in the House or Senate.
By definition, a “concurrent resolution” is “generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee.”
“Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the president and thus do not have the force of law,” the official definition continues.
In other words, the resolution as drafted by Slotkin, pushed by Pelosi, and which will probably pass the House of Representatives late Thursday afternoon does not have the force of law even if both Chambers of Congress pass it, because it will never be sent to the president for his signature either adopting it or vetoing it.
Matt Fuller from the Huffington Post described the effort as more like the House of Representatives adopting a “press release”:
Not Binding, Will Never be Sent to the President < >
The House’s vote on a War Powers Resolution on Thursday to restrict the president’s ability to take military actions with regard to Iran does nothing of the sort.
Instead, it is a purely political vote that has no actual legal or legislative teeth behind it, and will never make it to the president’s desk even if the U.S. Senate also passes it because of the way House Democrat leadership under Speaker Nancy Pelosi structured the resolution.
The resolution, which Pelosi selected Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) to lead, is structured as what is called a “concurrent resolution” in the House or Senate.
By definition, a “concurrent resolution” is “generally employed to address the sentiments of both chambers, to deal with issues or matters affecting both houses, such as a concurrent budget resolution, or to create a temporary joint committee.”
“Concurrent resolutions are not submitted to the president and thus do not have the force of law,” the official definition continues.
In other words, the resolution as drafted by Slotkin, pushed by Pelosi, and which will probably pass the House of Representatives late Thursday afternoon does not have the force of law even if both Chambers of Congress pass it, because it will never be sent to the president for his signature either adopting it or vetoing it.
Matt Fuller from the Huffington Post described the effort as more like the House of Representatives adopting a “press release”:
