The United States Senate for the first time since 1973 voted to invoke the War Powers Act to withdraw US military aid for Saudi Arabia's war on Yemen, which Donald Trump support.

The senators voted 56-41 to recommend that the US stop supporting the war, a direct affront to the administration.  Several Republicans crossed over to vote with independent Democratic Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders and the Democrats. 

"We are in a historic moment," said Sen. Sanders, who praised fellow Senators for their stance against the war in Yemen "which has caused the worst humanitarian crisis on earth, with 85,000 children already starving to death". 

However, the vote is largely symbolic because it is highly unlikely that the Republican-controlled lower house will pass the measure before its sessions ends.  After the Democrats become the majority party the House of Representatives next month, the legislative process restarts and the measure will have to pass both houses again.  Bernie is confident that will happen; but even after that, it is unlikely to become law because each house would have to pass it with a two-thirds majority to overcome a presidential veto, and those numbers just don't seem to exist.

On a separate voice vote, Senators also passed a measure affirming that Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman was responsible for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 3 October.

The symbolism itself is powerful.  It shows that members of Trump's own party want to go on record expressing their anger and frustration with his chummy relationship with Saudi Arabia and Prince Muhammad.