Overview

• Senator Tim Kaine introduced the privileged resolution to block offensive U.S. military operations against Iran without explicit congressional authorization.
• The measure reaffirms Congress’s sole power to declare war or authorize force while still allowing the president to defend against imminent threats from Iran.
• A bipartisan coalition of senators, including Republicans wary of another protracted Middle East conflict, has urged swift consideration of the resolution.
• The push for congressional approval comes after Israel’s strikes on Iranian nuclear and military sites and Iran’s retaliatory ballistic missile launches.
• President Trump has acknowledged that deeper U.S. involvement “is possible” as world leaders at the G7 summit call for de-escalation.