WASHINGTON: Fresh efforts are under way in both the House and the Senate to rein in President Donald Trump’s authority to wage war against Iran, as Democratic leaders renewed their push to force a vote on ending US involvement in hostilities not authorised by Congress.

In the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced that Democrats would soon introduce another war powers resolution aimed at stopping what he repeatedly described as a “reckless war of choice”.

“I would focus right now on stopping this reckless war of choice and we will bring another war powers resolution to do just that,” Mr Jeffries said. “I expect strong Democratic support for that resolution, including among some who previously may have voted against it earlier in this war.

And all we need is a few Republicans to join us. So, we can stand up for the American people who are overwhelmingly opposed to Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice.”

Early March resolution defeated by a narrow margin, with at least four Democrats voting against it

An earlier House measure failed on March 5 by a narrow 212-219 vote. All but two Republicans opposed it, while four Democrats — Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Juan Vargas of California, Greg Landsman of Ohio and Henry Cuellar of Texas — crossed the aisle to defeat the resolution.

Mr Jeffries said the new proposal would contain “substantial differences” from the previous Massie-Khanna bill to reflect developments in the conflict over the past three weeks and what he described as growing public opposition to the war.

In the Senate, lawmakers have also attempted to limit the president’s authority. On March 18, a war powers resolution seeking to restrict Mr Trump’s ability to continue military action against Iran without congressional authorisation failed 47–53, largely along party lines.

The measure would have required the withdrawal of US forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally approved them. Several efforts have been introduced in the upper chamber, including a resolution led by Senator Cory Booker and other Democrats to withdraw US forces from hostilities absent congressional approval.

The Karachi-born Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen accused the president of escalating the conflict unlawfully. “Now Trump has launched an illegal regime change war of choice on Iran. This is not a war to make us safer. What the president has done is to make the world less safe for America,” he said.

At a recent Senate hearing, Democratic lawmakers pressed military officials on whether air strikes alone could bring a new, pro-American regime to power in Iran, but the generals said such questions could only be addressed in classified briefings. The Democrats, however, are demanding a public hearing to examine the objectives, strategy, and potential costs of the conflict.

Mr Jeffries and other Democrats have argued that Congress and the American public deserve full transparency and oversight of the conflict, including objectives, strategy, and potential human and financial costs, before the war escalates further.

“What we’re focused on right now is stopping this reckless war of choice,” Mr Jeffries said, underscoring the party’s legislative priority over questions of impeachment.

The renewed initiatives signal another round of confrontation between Congress and the White House over war powers, as lawmakers seek to assert oversight of US military actions in Iran.

Published in Dawn, March 23rd, 2026