WASHINGTON, DC: The United States Congress could vote as early as next week on a measure aimed at preventing President Donald Trump from launching military action against Iran without explicit approval from lawmakers, as tensions rise and the US military prepares for the possibility of a broader conflict if diplomacy fails.
Several members of Congress — including some Republicans aligned with Trump as well as Democrats — have made repeated attempts to pass war powers resolutions limiting the president’s authority to initiate hostilities without congressional consent.
Those efforts have so far been blocked by Republican leadership in both chambers, reports Reuters.
Under the US Constitution, Congress holds the authority to declare war. Presidents, however, have historically exercised limited powers to conduct military strikes for national security reasons without a formal declaration.
According to a recent Reuters report, the US military is preparing for the possibility of sustained, weeks-long operations should Trump order action against Iran.
Republicans, who hold narrow majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, argue that Congress should not constrain the president’s national security powers during a period of heightened regional tensions.
Last month, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine and Republican Senator Rand Paul introduced a Senate resolution that would prohibit hostilities against Iran unless authorised by a formal congressional declaration of war.
“If some of my colleagues support war, then they should have the guts to vote for the war, and to be held accountable by their constituents, rather than hiding under their desks,” Kaine said in a statement on Friday, as US military assets were reportedly repositioned in the region.
An aide to Kaine said there is not yet a confirmed timeline for when the Senate may take up the resolution.
In the House of Representatives, Republican lawmaker Thomas Massie and Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said they plan to force a vote next week on a similar measure.
“Trump officials say there’s a 90 percent chance of strikes on Iran. He can’t without Congress,” Khanna wrote in a post on X.
The debate underscores longstanding tensions between the executive and legislative branches over war powers, particularly at a moment when diplomatic efforts with Tehran remain uncertain, and the prospect of military escalation looms.
