By Manu Raju, Camila DeChalus, Morgan Rimmer, CNN

(CNN) — House GOP leaders abruptly canceled a vote Thursday on a resolution to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers in Iran just as Republicans were on the verge of losing the vote due to absences.

The resolution was introduced by New York Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The congressman told reporters Wednesday that he thought House Speaker Mike Johnson had been stalling a vote on the measure.

“A lot of my Republican colleagues are feeling the pressure back home when they’re looking at the cost of food, the cost of gas,” he said on Capitol Hill.

Democrats have repeatedly forced votes to limit Trump’s war powers in both the House and the Senate – a campaign that has slowly picked up more GOP support in recent weeks.

Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern spoke on the House floor to ask what was happening with the Iran war powers resolution that had been set to be voted on.

“Are we not voting on it because the American people are sick and tired of this illegal war that is costing tens of billions of dollars? Gas prices are through the roof. People can’t afford, people can’t afford their groceries. Is that why you’re pulling it?” he said.

Meeks similarly criticized the move to cancel the vote.

“Here we are on the eve of Memorial Day, with prices for gasoline going up, prices for food going up. We had a vote because of this president’s war of choice that was going to pass, we had the votes without question, and they knew it, and as a result they’re playing a political game, they’re cheating and have delayed the vote until we get back,” the congressman told reporters after the vote was delayed.

Meeks told reporters the vote is now expected to take place in early June after the chamber returns from its Memorial Day recess.

Earlier this week, the Senate advanced a similar resolution to limit Trump’s ability to carry out military action against Iran without congressional approval.

The cancelled House vote comes after President Donald Trump told reporters earlier this week that he believes the US campaign against Iran has been popular among Americans.

“Look, everyone tells me it’s unpopular, but I think it’s very popular when you, when they hear that it’s having to do with nuclear weapons, weapons that could take out Los Angeles, could take out major cities very quick,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

A recent CNN poll showed 77% – including a majority of Republicans – say that Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their own community.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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By Annie Grayer, MJ Lee, CNN

(CNN) — Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime assistant gave the House Oversight Committee three new names of alleged abusers in the convicted sex offender’s network — a revelation that committee chairman James Comer described as a promising lead in his panel’s investigation into Epstein’s misdeeds.

The assistant, Sarah Kellen, provided the names in a closed-door interview on Thursday, Comer said. He declined to name the individuals, but said they were not previously known and promised to release a transcript of Kellen’s interview as soon as possible.

“The new names, that’s what we’ve been waiting for,” Comer said, adding, “I’m more optimistic today than I have been a long time.”

Kellen is a polarizing figure in Epstein’s orbit whose work with the disgraced late financier gave her access to significant information on his activities. In 2007, she was labeled by law enforcement as one of Epstein’s potential co-conspirators, and many believe she helped him recruit and abuse girls. But she has described herself as a victim of Epstein’s abuse, and some observers acknowledge her experience is complicated, even if law enforcement did investigate her for possibly aiding Epstein.

Throughout hours of closed-door testimony on Thursday, Kellen said she was not Epstein’s co-conspirator and had no idea she was going to be named in Epstein’s non-prosecution agreement from the early 2000s. On the contrary, Kellen testified she “worked for and was sexually and psychologically abused by Jeffrey Epstein,” according to a copy of her opening remarks shared with CNN.

Kellen described in graphic detail some of the sexual abuse she says she endured.

“I want this Committee to know that the abuse happened on average on a weekly basis, and was at times violent,” Kellen said, according to the remarks. “It included Jeffrey entering my room in the middle of the night and putting his fingers inside me, waking me up from my sleep. It included an occasion in Palm Beach when he trapped me in the gym by lowering the metal hurricane shutter, blasted the music so loud that no one could hear, choked me, and violently raped me.”

Democratic Rep. Melanie Stansbury told reporters that she asked Kellen about her experience at Epstein’s New Mexico ranch, where a state investigation is ongoing, and Kellen said that was one of the places she was abused by Epstein.

Kellen said that for years, it was simply not possible for her to leave Epstein’s powerful grip: “I had nowhere else to go. I had no money, no family, no education, and no sense that I deserved any better.”

Stansbury said she also asked Kellen if she believed Epstein’s co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell should have been moved to a lower security prison or if Maxwell should receive a presidential pardon. To both questions, Kellen said no, and even cast blame on Maxwell for some of Epstein’s wrongdoing, saying “Maxwell turned Epstein into the monster he becam

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Two Taft residents were arrested for burglary after breaking into a home under an evacuation order due to a nearby vegetation fire Thursday.

On May 21, around 8:18 a.m., dispatchers received a report of a burglary in progress at a home in the 2100 block of Schaeffer Road outside of Cuyama stated a press release from the Santa Barbra County Sheriff's Office.

The home is within an active evacuation order issued in response to the Foothill Fire which sparked earlier this week.

Deputies responded to the scene alongside the California Highway Patrol and determined that two people had entered an attached garage at the home without permission detailed the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

A search of the property revealed that the suspects has removed copper wiring used to power the property owner's well added the local law enforcement agency.

According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, deputies searching the area located and detained a 34-year-old woman from Taft before later locating and arresting the second suspect, a 39-year-old man from Taft.

Both Taft residents were found to be in possession of burglary tools and narcotics paraphernalia and were transported to the Northern Branch Jail where they were booked on multiple charges related to theft explained the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.

The local Sheriff's Office shared that deputies are maintaining an enhanced presence in evacuation areas during the fire response and will actively investigate any unauthorized activity in the restricted areas.

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