House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) speaks to the media during a secret Senate-House conference on the situation in Iran at the Capitol in Washington, March 3, 2026.
Kylie Cooper | Reuters
The House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a war powers resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump’s authority to use U.S. troops stationed in Iran.
The vote was 212-219, with four Democrats joining Republicans in voting for the bill, and two Republicans joining Democrats in voting in favor of the bill. The Senate rejected a similar bill Wednesday.
Although this vote is largely symbolic, it signals that Congress has no intention of restraining the Trump administration on Iran at this time. President Trump began shelling Iran on Saturday, killing the country’s leader Ayatollah Khamenei. President Trump and his administration have stated a myriad of objectives for the conflict.
Democrats and some Republicans have argued that President Trump needs Congressional approval to carry out the operation. The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
If passed, the bill would have been largely symbolic. President Trump is almost certain to veto any bill that would curtail the authority to use military.
