Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) told reporters on Wednesday that a Senate resolution blocking the use of military force against Iran without congressional authorization is likely to come up for a vote next week, though it could come as early as Thursday.

“The president made no real case last night as to why we should be in a war with Iran,” Kaine said, referring to Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday evening, where some Democrats hoped he would lay out a clear approach and strategy to his engagement with Tehran.

Kaine said that the timing of the vote may be affected by both the negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Geneva on Thursday, as well as some Senate absences this week.

“We want [the diplomacy] to work. Would the vote help it, would it hurt it?” Kaine said. “[Senate Minority Leader Chuck] Schumer knows I’m full-speed ahead.”

Asked whether he thinks Democrats will unite behind the resolution, Kaine noted that only Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) opposed a separate resolution after the U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities last summer.

“We should not send our sons and daughters into another war in the Middle East. [Trump] declared the nuclear program was obliterated just a few months ago. So, what — now we’re going to go to war to stop a nuclear program?” Kaine said, accusing Trump of “stumbl[ing] us toward” a potential war by leaving the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, in his first term.

Kaine emphasized that the current deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford to the Middle East is significantly longer than normal, with the extended mission pushing the ship and its sailors beyond normal limits.

The Virginia senator pointed out the carrier — already at sea for about eight months — is now facing maintenance issues. Normally, such issues would be addressed during scheduled repairs following a six-month deployment. Instead, those repairs are being deferred because of the ship’s extended time away.
A vote on similar legislation in the House was originally expected this week, but has now been pushed until at least next week. A handful of House Democrats have voiced opposition to that resolution, and some others have declined to say how they plan to vote.