Congress experienced a tumultuous week as minority-party lawmakers deployed procedural tactics to upend the leadership's carefully laid schedule, forcing votes on Iran war powers, Haitian refugee protections, and surveillance law extensions. The maneuvers, exploiting constitutional and procedural loopholes, underscored the fragility of party control in a narrowly divided legislature.
War Powers Votes Reflect Growing Unease
On Wednesday and Thursday, both chambers considered resolutions to terminate U.S. military involvement in Iran, reflecting mounting frustration as the conflict drags beyond initial projections. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) moved to discharge a war powers resolution from the Foreign Relations Committee, but the discharge motion failed 47-52, with only Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) crossing party lines. In the House, Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) sought unanimous consent to call up a similar measure, which was rejected 213-214, with just one Republican voting in favor and one abstaining.
The votes echoed earlier March debates but with heightened anxiety as the 60-day War Powers Resolution deadline approaches on May 1, and public support for the conflict continues to erode. As media spin on the Iran conflict erodes public trust, lawmakers face increasing pressure to act.
Haitian Refugee Protections Secure Bipartisan Support
Another unscheduled intervention came Thursday when Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) filed a privileged discharge petition on a bill to extend temporary protected status for Haitian refugees by three years. The petition garnered 218 signatures, and the House voted 220-207 to discharge the legislation, then passed it 224-204 with ten Republican votes. The extension, driven by concerns that deporting some 103,000 Haitian healthcare workers would cripple senior care facilities, reflects a rare bipartisan coalition. The administration had ordered the status to expire in June.
FISA Extension Faces Rebellion from Both Flanks
Late Thursday, the majority leadership encountered a bipartisan backlash over a special rule to renew Title VII of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for five years. Democrats and conservative Freedom Caucus members objected that the bill lacked sufficient privacy protections for Americans. Around 2 a.m. Friday, Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) offered an amendment to shorten the extension to 18 months, but it failed 200-220. The rule itself was then defeated 197-228, with 20 Republicans defecting.
With FISA set to expire at midnight Monday, the House approved a 10-day extension via unanimous consent, which the Senate quickly passed, sending it to President Trump. The episode highlights ongoing tensions over surveillance powers, as House GOP's latest FISA 702 plan omits warrant requirement, disappointing privacy hawks.
Three Resignations Avert Expulsion Votes
The House also sidestepped three other potential disruptions: threatened expulsions of Reps. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Tony Gonzalez (R-Texas) for sexual misconduct, and Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), indicted for allegedly stealing millions in COVID funds. All three resigned to avoid formal eviction votes, which require a two-thirds majority.
As former congressional staff veteran Don Wolfensberger noted, the mere prospect of unplanned interruptions can sometimes keep Congress from veering off course. The week's events demonstrate how procedural tactics, when combined with bipartisan defections, can reshape legislative priorities in a divided government.
