Dems vow to force votes on Iran war powers next week
Source: Politico
02/26/2026 11:40 AM EST
Updated: 02/26/2026 01:56 PM EST
Democrats in the House and Senate pledged Thursday to force votes next week on legislation to restrict President Donald Trump from attacking Iran without congressional approval and the White House is already mobilizing to try and defeat it. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his leadership team announced they will compel a vote when lawmakers return next week, followed by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who said he will similarly force the Senate to go on the record in the coming days.
The move will mark a pair of high stakes vote for the administration, which has gathered a massive military force in the Middle East in advance of potential strikes, even as U.S. officials conduct talks with Iran over its nuclear ambitions. The White House is already preparing to whip hard against the measure.
While Senate GOP leaders fended off a similar resolution last year, House Republicans are in a much trickier spot. Republican leadership cant afford any more defections as they seek to defeat the House Democratic-led effort. The presidents allies want to avoid a politically embarrassing loss on the House floor as Trump is putting the squeeze on Tehran. At the same time, the GOP could win a reprieve if just a few Democrats oppose the measure.
The sponsors of the war powers legislation, Reps. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), had initially planned to hold a vote this week.
Read more: https://www.politico.com/news/2026/02/26/house-dems-iran-war-powers-vote-00800710