Charles Schumer

Congress has been unable to restrict President Donald Trump's war powers despite its consistent attempts to limit them.

The legislature passed a resolution reasserting its authority over war last month, only to revert to its longtime form of yielding to the White House a day later. Democrats, the sponsors of most of the measures, have nevertheless insisted on refiling them, including on Wednesday, when Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced yet another war powers resolution.

"This week, Senate Democrats will force another vote on our war powers resolution to end this unauthorized war and get our troops out of harm's way. Every senator will have to make a choice," Schumer said in a speech on the floor.

It's unlikely the new measure will achieve anything the previous ones didn't. Trump can veto the resolution, which has an uncertain legal fate; Congress and the White House disagree on its constitutionality.

"The regular votes do, however, elevate the political and public salience of the conflict and force members to take a position on Congress’s constitutional responsibilities," Tess Bridgeman and Brian Finucane, writers for a New York University law journal, said in a May analysis. "The debate-forcing and agenda-setting functions of the WPR make it an invaluable instrument, despite its obvious imperfections."