Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., speaks during the Senate Democrat policy luncheon news conference at the Capitol, Tuesday, Feb., 10, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) 
Congressman Ro Khanna attends an event titled “Who Controls the Future of AI: The Oligarchs or the People” at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif., on Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (Santiago Mejia/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) 
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks during an interview following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.) 
The U.S. Capitol is photographed Friday, Feb. 27, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) 
A damaged car remains on the ground in the aftermath of an Israeli-U.S. strike in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Amir Kholousi/ISNA)
WASHINGTON | Key members of Congress are demanding a swift vote on a war powers resolution that would restrain President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran unless the administration wins their approval for what they warn is a potentially illegal campaign that risks pulling the United States into a deeper Middle East conflict.
Both the House and Senate, where the president’s Republican Party has a slim majority, had already drafted such resolutions long before the strikes Saturday. Now they are ready to plunge into a rare war powers debate next week that will serve as a referendum on Trump’s decision to go it alone on military action without formal authorization from Congress.
“Has President Trump learned nothing from decades of U.S. meddling in Iran and forever wars in the Middle East?” said Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., a leader in the bipartisan effort. He said the strikes on Iran were “a colossal mistake.”
COLORADO COMMENTS
Rep. Jason Crow, D-Aurora: “Trump is plunging us into another war in the Middle East. He’s learned nothing from decades of failed conflicts. It’s a war of choice with no clear end game, no authorization from Congress, and little support from Americans. I went to war three times for this country and learned that when elites in Washington bang the war drums, working class folks pay the price. The tough talk of a five-time draft dodger falls flat for Americans tired of military adventurism. Americans want us out of the regime change business. Endless war has cost us thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. Meanwhile, Americans are struggling to pay for health care, groceries, and housing. This Administration owes Congress and Americans answers. Congress should return to Washington immediately to vote on the War Powers Resolution and ensure the safety of our servicemembers.”
Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Thornton: “For 47 years the Iranian regime has terrorized its own people and supported terrorist groups that killed Americans and our allies. Repeated efforts from the U.S. to negotiate in good faith and halt the expansion of Iran’s nuclear weapons program were met with deception and defiance, as the radical regime rejected every opportunity for peace. Operation Epic Fury is a necessary step to eliminate Iran’s nuclear weapon capabilities, eliminate imminent threats to the United States and our allies, and defend our core national security interests. The United States has strong support from ally nations in the Middle East and will help liberate the Iranian people. As a U.S. Army combat veteran, I know the weight of these decisions. I am praying for every brave American service member carrying out this mission as they risk their lives to ensure the safety and longevity of our country and our allies across the world.”
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colorado: “President Trump and his Administration have launched the United States into a war with Iran with no authorization from Congress. Only Congress has the power to declare war, not the President. Iran is a terrorist state that can never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon, which is why I supported tough economic and diplomatic measures that effectively constrained Tehran’s nuclear ambitions for years. As a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I have seen no new intelligence or information suggesting that Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon had become more imminent, as the Administration suggested. Having chosen, once again, to act unilaterally, the Trump Administration must explain immediately to Congress and the American people how it plans to prevent these events from creating a chain reaction that hopelessly destabilizes Iran or ignites a regional conflagration that jeopardizes the lives of American troops. I plan to vote for the bipartisan War Powers Resolution that must immediately come to the Senate floor to rein in President Trump’s unauthorized war. I hope my colleagues on both sides of the aisle will join me.”
Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colorado: “President Trump has bypassed his constitutional duty to seek congressional authorization for operations in Iran. By failing to consult Congress, he operates without an articulated goal, strategy, or endgame. This unilateral action ignores most Americans’ desire to avoid endless foreign wars, creating the distinct impression of a calculated distraction from his domestic failures including the economy, ICE violence, and the unreleased Epstein files. While we would certainly welcome the fall of Iran’s terror-sponsoring and repressive regime, the President’s reckless approach leaves us facing profound, unanswered questions about the new dangers he has unleashed.”
Rep. Brittany Petterson, D-Lakewood: My heart is with our troops and civilians on the frontlines. To every American and civilian in the region: we support you, and your safety must be our absolute priority. The Ayatollah is a brutal dictator who has sponsored more terror across the globe against Americans and our allies than any other regime. He has murdered untold numbers of his own citizens protesting for change. I stand with the Iranian people and against their government’s cruelty. The Ayatollah must never be able to attain a nuclear weapon because they are committed to the complete destruction of the US, Israel, and our allies. But this is the latest unilateral action Trump has taken without the constitutional power that could lead to another drawn-out and costly war in the Middle East without a long-term plan for peace and stability in the region. All of these facts can be true at the same time. We are left today not knowing if the President has any plans for what comes next, while he continues to withhold information and mislead Congress. He continues to demonstrate a complete disregard for the law or any constraints on his powers. I will join my colleagues in demanding a detailed, classified briefing on this operation and its long-term strategy, and will continue to support the War Powers Resolution to rein in this unhinged President.
Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Boulder: “Our constitution is crystal-clear: the decision to take our nation to war rests with Congress. President Trump’s reckless and dangerous decision to, yet again, initiate military action without congressional authorization is clearly unconstitutional. Speaker Johnson must reconvene the Congress—immediately — for a vote on the War Powers Resolution.”
Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Denver: “This morning, Donald Trump illegally began a massive military operation against Iran without consulting Congress. During his State of the Union address earlier this week, President Trump made no attempt to explain why he felt military action was necessary at this time. This is why Congressional authorization is urgently needed. I have cosponsored H.Con.Res. 38, the Massie-Khanna War Powers Resolution, on which Leader Jeffries has said he will force a vote this coming week. Congress must immediately return to Washington and reclaim its Constitutional authority. While the Iranian regime is a brutal autocracy that has oppressed the Iranian people, that alone does not give Trump the justification needed to launch a military operation of this magnitude without Congressional approval. I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in stopping Trump’s unjustified march to war.”
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Windsor: “I’m praying for safety for our service members and wisdom for our leaders.”
Rep. Jeff Crank, R-Colorado Springs: “Ayatollah Khamenei was directly responsible for the murder of more than 600 Americans and was actively planning to kill more. In recent months, he killed tens of thousands of innocent protesters, sought to rebuild his nuclear weapons facilities, and, by many reports, was planning a preemptive strike against the US and our allies. President Trump made every effort to find a peaceful, negotiated solution to this crisis. Khamenei only sought Death to America. I believe that because of his death, the U.S. and Israel have avoided a prolonged conflict that would have killed many Americans. Our country, the Middle East, and the World is a safer place tonight because of his death. What comes next is just as important. The Iranian people must have a voice in deciding their next leader and the surviving members of the dictatorship must be hunted down and brought to justice. I will continue to use my role on the House Armed Services Committee to provide oversight and support of our efforts. Please join me in praying for the safety of our troops and the success of their missions.”
Rep. Jeff Hurd, R-Grand Junction: “The death of Iran’s Supreme Leader is the end of a brutal chapter in a regime that has spent decades chanting “Death to America,” funding terrorist networks, murdering dissidents, spreading antisemitism, and targeting our allies. This was not a misunderstood government. It was the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. Iran’s regime has American blood on its hands. It armed and financed the forces that killed our service members, destabilized the Middle East, and threatened Israel’s very existence. For years, it pursued nuclear capabilities while openly vowing to destroy our allies and challenge the United States. I fully support President Trump’s decisive action and his unwavering commitment to stand with Israel. Peace is not preserved through weakness or appeasement. It is preserved through strength, deterrence, and the clear understanding that if you threaten Americans, there will be consequences. A nuclear armed Iran is not an option. Not now. Not ever. This is a serious moment, and we must remain strong and unified as a nation. My prayers are with our service members and all Americans and our allies in harm’s way.”
In the House, Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., are demanding Congress go on record with a public vote on their own bipartisan measure. “Congress must convene on Monday to vote,” Khanna said, “to stop this.”
Massie blasted Trump’s own presidential campaign slogan and said: “This is not ‘America First.'”
But most Republicans, particularly their leaders, welcomed Trump’s move against Iran. Many cited the longtime U.S. adversary’s nuclear programs and missile capabilities as requiring a military response.
“Well done, Mr. President,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “As I watch and monitor this historic operation, I’m in awe of President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace but at the end of the day, evil’s worst nightmare.”
War powers debate tests Congress
The administration’s decision to launch, with Israel, what appears to be an open-ended joint military operation aimed at changing the government in Tehran is testing the Constitution’s separation of powers in deep and dramatic ways. Nearly two months earlier, Trump ordered U.S. strikes that toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
While presidents have the authority as the commander in chief to conduct certain strategic military operations on their own, the Constitution vests Congress with the power to wage war. Before the Iraq War began in March 2003, Republican President George W. Bush made a monthslong push to secure congressional authorization. No such vote was attempted on Iran, and an earlier Senate effort to halt Trump’s actions after last summer’s strike on Iran failed.
The congressional debate over war powers would mostly be symbolic. Even if a resolution were to pass the narrowly split Congress, Trump likely would veto it and Congress would not have the two-thirds majority needed to overturn that rejection. Congress has often failed to block other U.S. military actions, including in a Senate vote on Venezuela, but the roll calls stand as a public record.
Republican leaders back Trump’s action
The response by House Speaker Mike Johnson reflected the party’s long-standing views. Iran, he said, is facing “the severe consequences of its evil actions.”
Johnson, R-La., said the leaders of the House and Senate and the respective intelligence committees had been briefed in detail earlier in the week that military action “may become necessary” to protect U.S. troops and citizens in Iran. He said he received updates from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and will stay in “close contact” with Trump and the Defense Department “as this operation proceeds.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., commended Trump “for taking action to thwart these threats.”
Thune said he looked forward to administration officials briefing all senators — a signal that lawmakers are seeking more answers to their questions about Trump’s plans ahead.
Democrats warn strikes are illegal
Many Democrats are calling the operation illegal, saying the Constitution gives Congress alone the power to declare war. To them, the administration has failed to lay out its rationale or plan for the military strikes, and the aftermath.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said the president has undertaken “illegal, regime-change war against Iran.”
“This is not making us safer & only damages the US & our interests,” Van Hollen, D-Md., said in a social media post. “The Senate must immediately vote on the War Powers Resolution to stop it.”
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said while Iran is a “bad actor and must be aggressively confronted” for its human rights abuses and the threat it poses to the U.S. and allies, the administration “must seek authorization for the preemptive use of military force that constitutes an act of war.”
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader, demanded that Congress be briefed immediately on the administration’s plans.
“Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home,” he said.
Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Matt Brown contributed to this report.