Collins: After 60 days of Iran war, "there has to be action by Congress”

• Republicans warn White House must seek congressional approval within War Powers deadline.
• Lawmakers signal scrutiny of military operations, possible extension request.

Senate Republicans indicated they’ll expect the White House to be accountable to Congress for the Iran war as it reaches the legal deadline to seek authorization by lawmakers for the conflict.

Sen. Susan Collins, who leads the Senate Appropriations Committee, told CNN that after the 60 day deadline laid out in the War Powers Act, which is expected to fall at the end of this week, the president “has to obtain congressional approval or Congress can block it. Those are the two choices, but there has to be action by Congress.”

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Sen. Mike Rounds, a member of the Senate Armed Services committee, told Raju he would be “surprised” if President Donald Trump doesn’t ask to extend the deadline for congressional authorization an additional 30 days, which the president can legally do if he can justify that it is necessary to draw down safely.

“During that time period, we’ll be asking questions,” Rounds said, adding that he expects senators to ask Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth about it later this week during the closed portion of the committee’s appropriations hearing.

“We most certainly want to get the answers and if they need to be in a classified setting, so be it,” he said.