House votes to block Trump from militarily striking Iran

(JNS)—The U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Friday to block U.S. President Donald Trump from militarily striking Iran.

The measure was added by a vote of 251-170 to a $733 billion National Defense Authorization Act that would prohibit the Trump administration from utilizing any taxpayer funds for military action “in or against” the regime unless the president gets explicit authorization from Congress, although it would not prevent Trump from retaliating if Iran were to strike on the United States.

The Senate rejected such a provision last month.

The NDAA passed 220-197.

Additionally, the House NDAA “would, for example, reverse Trump’s ban on transgender personnel serving in the military and enact a one-year ban on the sale of air-to-ground munitions to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for use in the Yemen war. The Trump administration has pushed to bypass Congress in selling weapons to the Saudis and the UAE, sparking a bipartisan backlash,” reported USA Today.

The Senate passed a $750 billion NDAA last month. The Senate and the House must reconcile their versions into one bill to pass in both chambers to send to Trump to sign into law.

Both versions consist of blocking the sale of the F-35 to Turkey and would continue U.S. security assistance to Israel.

On Friday, Turkey began to receive the S-400 air-defense missile-defense system despite U.S. warnings not to do so.