House Republicans Block Bid to Limit Trump’s Power on Iran War

A similar resolution is expected to be introduced in the Senate next week.

Published: 4/9/2026, 10:36:44 PM EDT

House Republicans Block Bid to Limit Trump’s Power on Iran War — An F/A-18F Super Hornet, attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 41, flies over the flight deck of Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury in the Mediterranean Sea on March 6, 2026. (U.S. Navy via Getty Images)

House Republicans on April 9 blocked a Democratic resolution aimed at curbing President Donald Trump’s power to wage war with Iran amid a two-week ceasefire between the regime and the United States.

During a pro forma House session, a group of Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) attempted to seek unanimous consent for an Iran war powers resolution, which would require the president to cease military action if Congress does not formally declare war within 60 to 90 days. Presiding Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) gaveled the pro forma closed without recognizing the request.

“This morning we went to the House floor to demand that the Congress take up the war powers resolution that’s been under consideration before, but we have to get back to it again,” Ivey told reporters after the session was adjourned. “It’s time for Congress to step in and take control of the wheel.”

A similar resolution is expected to be introduced in the Senate next week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on April 8 that the Senate will vote on a war powers resolution related to Iran.

“The War Powers Act will cease hostilities and require the administration to get an [authorization for use of military force] before going to war after the hostilities cease,” Schumer said.

The resolution came as Trump announced on April 7 that he had agreed to a ceasefire shortly before his deadline for Iran to reach a deal that included reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway through which a significant share of global oil and gas shipments pass.

Prior to the ceasefire, Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die” if Iran failed to meet the deadline.

The White House has said the president acted within his rights as commander-in-chief to protect the United States by ordering limited military operations. Trump has said the operations are a preemptive attack to prevent the terrorism-backing Iranian regime from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The War Powers resolution would have required congressional authorization for U.S. involvement in the war. A previous attempt to constrain the president’s military actions failed in the House on March 5.

In an April 8 letter to colleagues, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said the two-week ceasefire is “woefully insufficient” and called for passage of the resolution to stop U.S. military operations against Iran.

Jeffries said that Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and House Judiciary Committee Democrats will host “a virtual briefing on Trump administration accountability and the 25th Amendment” on April 10.

The 25th Amendment establishes the formal process for transferring presidential power to the vice president when a president is unable to serve.

“We will continue to unleash maximum pressure on Republicans to put patriotic duty over party loyalty and join Democrats in stopping the madness,” Jeffries wrote in the letter.

Nathan Worcester and Reuters contributed to this report.

From The Epoch Times