Sponsors (8)
The resolution shifts the U.S. approach toward Iran by reasserting Congressional authority and limiting offensive U.S. actions—lowering the chance of continued combat for U.S. forces while trading off executive flexibility, faster crisis response, and potential political and operational uncertainty.
U.S. service members face a lower likelihood of continued offensive combat against Iran unless Congress authorizes it, reducing near-term deployment and combat risk for troops.
The President retains clear authority to take immediate defensive actions to protect U.S. persons, forces, and facilities abroad, allowing prompt protective responses to attacks.
The U.S. can continue intelligence collection and share defensive materiel and interception assistance with partners, helping deter escalation and protect allied forces and nearby civilians without initiating U.S. offensive operations.
The President’s ability to conduct offensive or preventive military actions against Iran is constrained, which could hamper rapid, unilateral responses to emerging threats.
Requiring Congressional authorization for hostilities risks delaying urgent military responses during fast-moving crises, complicating command decisions and crisis management.
Labeling ongoing operations as unauthorized and restoring expedited removal procedures could increase political conflict and institutional tension between Congress and the President, creating uncertainty for policy and planning.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Directs the President to remove U.S. forces from offensive hostilities in or against Iran unless Congress enacts a declaration of war or specific AUMF, while preserving limited defensive and intelligence authorities.
Official title: To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
Introduced April 13, 2026 by Mark Edward Kelly · Last progress April 13, 2026
Directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces engaged in offensive hostilities in or against the Islamic Republic of Iran unless Congress enacts a declaration of war or a specific Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). The measure affirms congressional findings about war powers, treats recent U.S. military actions against Iran as an "introduction into hostilities" under the War Powers Resolution, and preserves limited presidential authority for self-defense, intelligence activities, and narrowly defined assistance to partner countries attacked by Iran since February 28, 2026. The resolution invokes statutory expedited congressional procedures for measures seeking removal of forces but does not change those statutes; instead it directs the President to comply with existing War Powers and related expedited procedures unless Congress authorizes continued hostilities.