WASHIGNTON
The US Congress meets this week to consider a Senate war powers resolution and two competing measures in the House of Representatives aimed at limiting President Donald Trump’s authority to expand US military operations against Iran without explicit congressional approval.
The Senate resolution, led by Senator Tim Kaine (Democrat–Virginia), invokes the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which was enacted during the Vietnam War to check presidential war-making authority. If adopted, it would require the termination of the US armed forces’ involvement in hostilities against Iran unless Congress authorises their continuation.
“The Constitution says we’re not supposed to be at war without a vote of Congress,” Kaine said. “The lives of our troops are at risk. We ought to come back to Washington right away and vote on this.” In the House, Rep. Ro Khanna (Democrat–California) and Rep. Thomas Massie (Republican–Kentucky) have introduced a bipartisan resolution directing the president to remove US forces from hostilities against Iran without congressional approval.
At the same time, a separate and more cautious House approach has been backed by Rep. Josh Gottheimer (Democrat–New Jersey) and other centrists, who have stopped short of demanding an immediate halt but called for compliance with existing law and congressional consultation. Gottheimer said he expects the president to “comply with the War Powers Act.”
The votes follow coordinated US and Israeli strikes on Iranian military and political targets, an escalation that has reportedly resulted in American casualties and raised fears of a broader regional conflict.
Democratic leaders have framed their position around congressional oversight rather than immediate disengagement. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat–New York) said he had urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to “be straight with Congress and the American people about the objectives of these strikes and what comes next,” adding that the Senate “should return to session to pass a war powers resolution.”
