Gottheimer, House Democrats introduce war powers resolution on U.S. military action against Iran
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A group of House Democrats, including U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, introduced a new War Powers Resolution aimed at reinforcing Congress’ constitutional authority over military action while allowing the United States to continue defending its troops, embassies and allies from Iranian attacks.
Gottheimer, along with Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Jim Costa of California, Jared Golden of Maine, Henry Cuellar of Texas and Jimmy Panetta of California, announced the legislation Tuesday in response to ongoing U.S. military operations involving Iran.
The resolution would direct the president to end U.S. military action against the Islamic Republic of Iran within 30 days unless Congress authorizes the use of military force or issues a formal declaration of war. The 30-day period began Feb. 28, 2026, when military operations started.
Lawmakers said the measure is intended to ensure Congress is fully briefed and involved in decisions about prolonged military engagement.
Under the proposal, the president would also be prohibited from deploying U.S. ground troops without explicit congressional authorization, except in limited circumstances such as search-and-rescue missions or intelligence operations.
The legislation also preserves the United States’ ability to defend its armed forces, diplomatic facilities and allied nations from imminent attack and allows for continued intelligence collection and sharing.
In addition, the resolution requires the president and administration officials to regularly brief members of Congress and relevant committees on the objectives and status of any major military action.
Supporters of the proposal said the measure is designed as an alternative to a separate bipartisan resolution introduced by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., which they say could require the immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces even as Iran continues attacks across the region.
According to the lawmakers, Iran has recently targeted U.S. troops, diplomatic facilities and allied nations in several countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Cyprus and Oman. Iranian forces have also launched drone and ballistic missile strikes on civilian sites such as hospitals, hotels and airports, they said.
The new resolution, lawmakers said, aligns with the War Powers Act of 1973 by establishing a defined 30-day window for congressional review while maintaining the president’s authority to respond to imminent threats.
Supporters argued that an open-ended military commitment without congressional authorization is unacceptable, but that an immediate withdrawal could also endanger American personnel and allies.
They said the 30-day period would allow Congress to receive intelligence briefings, assess the conflict and hear directly from the administration about the goals and potential endgame of the military action before deciding whether to authorize further involvement.
