- Congress advanced a war powers resolution for the first time to end Trump's unauthorized Iran hostilities.
- Republican Senator Bill Cassidy switched support after losing his primary to a Trump-backed opponent.
- The 60-day War Powers deadline for the Iran conflict expired May 1 with hostilities ongoing.
- Trump renewed threats to resume bombing Iran while declaring the War Powers Act unconstitutional.
- The House will vote on a similar resolution Wednesday after a prior measure deadlocked 212-212.
The U.S. Senate voted 50-47 Tuesday to advance a War Powers Resolution aimed at forcing President Trump to end unauthorized military hostilities against Iran, marking the first time the measure has survived a procedural hurdle after seven previous failures. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), would direct the removal of U.S. forces engaged in what critics call an illegal, undeclared war that began Feb. 28 with the launch of Operation Epic Fury. The vote signals growing congressional unease as Trump threatens to restart full-scale bombing against Tehran, even as a fragile ceasefire has held since April 8.
The resolution’s advancement came after Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) switched his support, joining Republicans Rand Paul (Ky.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Susan Collins (Maine) in backing the measure. Cassidy, who lost his primary this month to a Trump-endorsed opponent, explained his decision on social media.
“While I support the administration’s efforts to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury,” Cassidy wrote. “In Louisiana, I’ve heard from people, including President Trump’s supporters, who are concerned about this war. Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified.”
Only one Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against the resolution, while three Republicans were absent. One more procedural vote is needed before the Senate can hold a final vote, and if it ends 50-50, Vice President JD Vance could cast a tie-breaking vote to kill the bill as he did for a Venezuela War Powers Resolution in January.
A historic check on executive power
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted after Congress overrode President Richard Nixon’s veto, designed to rein in executive branch disregard for the Constitution’s requirement that Congress alone has the power to declare war. The law includes a 60-day deadline for any president to end unauthorized military action unless Congress grants approval.
The 60-day deadline for the Iran war expired May 1, but the Trump administration has falsely claimed the ceasefire paused the clock. The U.S. Navy continues enforcing a maritime blockade against Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz, which critics say constitutes ongoing hostilities. The Pentagon has reportedly bombed Iranian commercial ships and ports amid the blockade.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the vote’s significance.
“Vote by vote, Democrats are breaking through Republicans’ wall of silence on Trump’s illegal war,” Schumer said in a statement. “For more than 80 days, Trump has dragged America into a costly, chaotic conflict with no plan, no objective, and no legal authority.”
White House officials have declared the War Powers Resolution “unconstitutional,” and Trump has insisted the law is invalid. The administration has reportedly considered renaming the conflict from Operation Epic Fury to Operation Sledgehammer, hoping a new name would reset the War Powers clock.
Escalation threats and Iranian warnings
The Senate vote unfolded as Trump renewed threats to resume bombing Iran within days, declaring the country faces a “big hit” if it refuses U.S. demands for a nuclear deal. The president told reporters he was “holding off” on strikes after requests from Gulf Arab states, but claimed the attack was “an hour away” from being launched Monday.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a warning Wednesday, framing the conflict in existential terms.
“If the aggression against Iran is repeated, the promised regional war will this time spread far beyond the region, and our devastating blows will crush you,” the IRGC said in a statement published to Sepah News.
Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) highlighted the domestic costs of the ongoing conflict in a floor speech before the vote.
“Peace negotiations are stuck and so day after day after day grocery prices climb, gas prices climb,” Murphy said.
The House is expected to vote on a similar war powers resolution Wednesday, where a nearly identical measure failed last week after tying 212-212. While the bills lack veto-proof majorities, advancing resolutions in both chambers would send a significant political message to the White House and make restarting full-scale bombing more difficult.
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) acknowledged growing Republican concern about the administration’s long-term strategy, telling reporters that more members “maybe just feel like it’s time to have the debate.”
The deeper question remains whether Congress can reassert its constitutional war powers against a determined executive branch that has already signaled it will ignore the law. For a nation weary of endless Middle Eastern conflicts, Tuesday’s vote may represent the last, best chance to prevent another catastrophic war before the bombs fall again.
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