What's next for the War Powers Resolution on Iran? PolitiFact explains

By — Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact Louis Jacobson, PolitiFact Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/whats-next-for-the-war-powers-resolution-on-iran-politifact-explains Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter What's next for the War Powers Resolution on Iran? PolitiFact explains Politics Jun 6, 2026 5:16 PM EDT For the first time during the current war with Iran, the House passed a resolution June 3 that could eventually force President Donald Trump to step back from military attacks. The House vote came about two weeks after the Senate voted to advance its own resolution , which has similar but not identical terms. The legislative jockeying over the War Powers Resolution comes amid public opposition to the war and its effects, including higher gasoline prices from Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz after the U.S. and Israeli attacks. WATCH: House approves war powers resolution to halt military action against Iran The House vote passed 215-208, with four Republicans — Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Tom Barrett of Michigan, Warren Davidson of Ohio and Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania — joining Democrats in supporting it. The Senate vote , on May 19, was 50-47, with several senators not voting. Four Republicans — Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana joined all Democrats except Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who sided with the bulk of Republicans. The Senate vote was a procedural one rather than a final vote; it discharged the measure from a committee, where it had been stalled. "The Democrats are fueled by Trump Derangement Syndrome," Trump posted a day after the House vote. "They would rather have our Country fail than give me another, of many, victories. The four Republicans, that's a whole other story - They're GRANDSTANDERS! They should be ashamed of themselves." For the war's critics, the House and Senate votes amounted to progress. But there's still a long way to go before congressional action can stop Trump from continuing the war. Here is a rundown of the next steps. What is the War Powers Resolution? Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution assigns Congress the right to declare war. The last time Congress declared war was at the beginning of World War II, when Franklin Roosevelt was president. Since then, presidents have generally initiated military action using their constitutionally granted powers as commander in chief without an official declaration of war. In August 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson asked Congress to back his effort to widen the U.S. role in Vietnam. He received it with enactment of the Tonkin Gulf Resolution , which passed both chambers of Congress, including the Senate, with only two dissenting votes. As the Vietnam War turned sour, lawmakers became increasingly frustrated at their secondary role in sending U.S. troops abroad. So in 1973, Congress passed the Wa