How Congress Is Resisting the Iran War
Madeleine Cereghino — March 25, 2026
Over the past several weeks, members of Congress have begun using a range of legislative tools to challenge the Trump administration’s ongoing war with Iran and to reassert Congressional authority over their constitutionally mandated power to declare war and fund it. Broadly speaking, these fall into three categories:
War Powers Resolutions
In the early days of the conflict, lawmakers in both chambers advanced War Powers Resolutions intended to halt US involvement in the war. Those initial efforts failed to pass. But opponents of the war have not been deterred. Members of Congress continue to pursue a range of legislative strategies to register opposition, demand oversight, and prevent additional US support for the conflict.
Several senators are leading efforts to force debate on the war through the War Powers Resolution process. A War Powers Resolution is a legislative measure that allows Congress to force a vote on whether to limit or end US military involvement in a conflict that has not been formally authorized by Congress.
Senators Cory Booker (NJ), Tim Kaine (VA), Chris Murphy (CT), Adam Schiff (CA), Tammy Baldwin (WI), and Tammy Duckworth (IL) introduced resolutions aimed at ending US involvement in the conflict and restoring Congress’s constitutional role in authorizing military force. Under the War Powers Act, these resolutions are considered “privileged,” meaning they cannot be filibustered or blocked from receiving a vote on the Senate floor.
Two such votes have already taken place. Last week, the Senate voted on Senator Booker’s War Powers Resolution, and earlier this week the Senate voted on a similar resolution from Senator Murphy. Both failed largely along party lines. While these votes did not succeed, they forced senators to go on record and created a lever for public debate about the war and Congress’s role in overseeing it.
At the same time, senators are pressing Senate leadership to hold immediate public hearings on the conflict. In a letter to Majority Leader John Thune, they demanded that the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees bring Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth before Congress to testify under oath.
In the House, a parallel effort is developing. House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Greg Meeks is preparing to bring forward a War Powers Resolution that would constrain the administration’s ability to continue military operations in Iran without Congressional authorization. Earlier votes on similar measures revealed some divisions among House Democrats, but those differences appear to be narrowing as the conflict continues. Most House Democrats are expected to support the measure if it comes to the floor. Because Republicans currently hold only a narrow majority in the House, even a small number of GOP defections could determine whether the resolution passes.
Joint Resolutions of Disapproval
Another set of congressional actions is focused on preventing any additional weapons transfers to Israel that could deepen or prolong the war. Senator Bernie Sanders (VT) has introduced three Joint Resolutions of Disapproval that would block roughly $658 million in offensive weapons sales which include:
$298 million for 5,000 “defense articles” relating to 250-pound small-diameter bombs
$209 million for 10,000 500-pound bombs
$151.8 million for 12,000 1,000-pound bombs
The Trump administration recently invoked emergency authority to bypass the normal Congressional review process and move forward with those sales, which include tens of thousands of bombs. Under the Arms Export Control Act, these resolutions are also privileged, meaning that after a brief committee review period expires, senators can force a vote on the Senate floor.
Supplemental Funding
Finally, the administration is reportedly preparing to ask Congress for an enormous supplemental funding package to support the military campaign. There are reports that the Pentagon is seeking $200 billion in additional funding related to the war. This figure has already sparked concern among many lawmakers, particularly at a moment when rising prices and domestic budget cuts are affecting communities across the country. Any supplemental funding request would have to be approved by Congress, setting up another major debate about the war’s costs and consequences.
The more Congress signals that it is reluctant to approve this funding, the administration understands that it faces financial and political constraints.
Taken together, these efforts represent an emerging strategy among many lawmakers: using every available legislative mechanism to register opposition to the war, demand transparency from the administration, and prevent additional US taxpayer dollars from fueling a conflict that Congress never authorized.
Madeleine Cereghino (she/her) has more than a decade of experience educating lawmakers on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at J Street, Americans for Peace Now, and New Jewish Narrative. An experienced government affairs strategist, Madeleine credits a Birthright trip to Israel for inspiring her to shift her professional focus to anti-occupation work.
Although she resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband, son, and dog, Madeleine will forever be loyal to Bay Area sports. Madeleine is a graduate of Whittier College.
