Sept. 24 (UPI) — The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted down a resolution calling for President Donald Trump to end the war with Iran, despite increasing Republicans dissatisfaction with the conflict.
Four GOP senators sided with nearly all Democratic members for the measure, which failed in a 49-50 vote. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the measure 214-208 in July.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman was the only Democrat who voted against the resolution.
Sen. Thom Tills, R-N.C., voted for the war powers resolution for the first time Thursday, along with fellow Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rand Paul of Kentucky who voted for earlier measures calling for Trump to end the war.
According to Tillis, the war has lasted too long without congressional approval and has become a political liability for Republicans due its impacts on prices for gasoline, diesel and fertilizer.
“We’re reaching a point to where we just need answers,” he told The Hill. “We got to know what success looks like.”
He also pointed to a “consistently downward-trending negative reaction” from the public since the war began in February.
“We don’t know how long it’s going to go,” he added. “So, we’re afraid it could be a forever war. It’s a war that’s obviously hurting people economically. Why are we doing this? What is the goal?”
Nearly two-thirds of Americans in a poll released Tuesday by CNN and SSRS felt the United States is not winning the war and 78% say Trump is not doing enough to end the conflict.