12 Senate Democrats Force New War Powers Vote as Iran Conflict Enters Week Seven

A dozen Senate Democrats are forcing a new war powers vote this week aimed at cutting off President Trump's authority to continue military operations against Iran, escalating a constitutional battle that has so far failed to slow a conflict now entering its seventh week. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the effort Monday, saying "Congress must reassert its authority, especially at this dangerous moment," as lawmakers returned from a two-week recess to a capital grappling simultaneously with an active war, a Department of Homeland Security shutdown, and brewing expulsion battles on both sides of the aisle.

The group of twelve senators filing war powers resolutions includes Tim Kaine of Virginia, Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Cory Booker of New Jersey, Adam Schiff of California, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, Mark Kelly of Arizona, Raphael Warnock of Georgia, and Andy Kim of New Jersey. War Powers resolutions are privileged motions, meaning any senator can bring them to the floor for a vote within ten calendar days of filing, bypassing leadership's ability to block them from consideration.

Democrats believe they now have a genuine pathway to success after a previous vote in March failed by a narrow 47-53 margin, with only Senator Rand Paul crossing the aisle on the Republican side and Senator John Fetterman the lone Democrat to vote against it. They are eyeing potential defections from Republican senators whose constituents are being hit hardest by spiking fuel prices. "The American people want lower costs, not more forever wars," said Kaine. Murphy was blunter: "Trump's disastrous war in Iran has been nothing but cascading mistakes fueled by incompetence and ego."

The scale of the conflict has grown substantially since the first war powers vote in early March. Thirteen U.S. service members have now been killed and 399 wounded — 354 of whom have returned to duty — since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran roughly six weeks ago. Gas prices have surged nationally alongside crude oil's rise above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2022. The administration has requested between $80 billion and $100 billion in supplemental war funding, a number that has alarmed members of both parties. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called for "a permanent end to Donald Trump's costly and reckless war of choice."

The 60-day clock under the War Powers Resolution of 1973 is also approaching a critical threshold, meaning the president may soon be legally required to either obtain formal congressional authorization or begin withdrawing troops. The administration has disputed that the War Powers Act clock applies to the current operations, a legal argument Democrats have sharply rejected. With the Senate returning alongside a packed legislative calendar that includes DHS funding negotiations and pending expulsion votes for members under ethics scrutiny, leadership on both sides faces significant pressure to manage competing crises before any of them spirals further out of control.