Congress Has Rejected 10 Chances to Assert Its War Powers in Iran

By Ashley Wu and Robert Jimison May 14, 2026

The House of Representatives on Thursday narrowly blocked the latest Democratic-led effort to halt the war in Iran and insist that President Trump win congressional approval to continue military operations there.

The vote was the latest in a series of 10 similar measures across the House and Senate since the war began in late February, all of which aimed — and failed — to insist on a role for Congress in authorizing the conflict. Though the votes have mostly unfolded along party lines, there have been notable defections on both sides, including among a growing group of Republicans who have expressed uneasiness as the conflict wears on.

3 Rep. voted yes

Murkowski

Collins

Paul

1 Dem. voted no

Fetterman

May 13

Senate

has voted 7 times

House

has voted 3 times

Failed 49–50

May 14

Failed 212–212

Failed 213–214–1

2 Rep. voted yes

April 30

Failed 47–50

April 22

Failed 46-51

1 Rep. voted yes

April 15

Failed 47–52

MARCH 24

Failed 47–53

MARCH 18

MARCH 4

Massie

Golden

1 Rep. voted present

Davidson

April 16

May 1

60 days since Trump notified Congress of operation in Iran

MARCH 2

Trump notified Congress of operation in Iran.

Feb. 28

United States and Israeli air forces began joint strikes on Iran.

Failed 212–219

4 Dem. voted no

Cuellar

Landsman

Vargas

March 5

April 8

Ceasefire went into effect.

Barrett

Fitzpatrick

3 Republicans voted yes

Lisa Murkowski

Susan Collins

Rand Paul

1 Democrat voted no

John Fetterman

2 Republicans voted yes

Failed 46–51

1 Republican voted yes

Thomas Massie

Jared Golden

1 Republican voted present

Warren Davidson

Tom Barrett

4 Democrats voted no

Henry Cuellar

Greg Landsman

Juan Vargas

Brian Fitzpatrick

Most Republicans have banded together against these efforts, but what began as near unanimous support in both chambers has slipped slightly in recent weeks.

On Wednesday, Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska for the first time joined Senators Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky and most Democrats to advance the seventh attempt in the chamber to stop the war. The effort failed on a vote of 50 to 49, with Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania again joining Republicans in opposition, casting the deciding vote to block the resolution. Two weeks earlier, Ms. Collins, who is in a difficult re-election race and had opposed similar war powers measures, flipped her position to support one.

In the House, only Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky has consistently backed war powers resolutions. But on Thursday, he was joined for the first time by Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Tom Barrett of Michigan. Both Republicans are in challenging re-election races.

Representative Jared Golden of Maine was the lone Democrat to oppose the measure, casting the deciding vote as members of his party pleaded in a chant for “one more” in their ranks to support it just before the speaker gaveled down the vote.