House Dems tee up new war powers vote
Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats will bring a new war powers resolution “in short order,” betting stronger Dem support and a few GOP votes could shift the outcome as the conflict deepens.
TODAY IN CONGRESS
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House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) is moving to escalate Democrats’ pushback on President Donald Trump’s war in Iran, telling reporters on Thursday that House Democrats will bring another war powers resolution to the floor “in short order” as pressure builds on Capitol Hill to rein in the administration.
Jeffries said he expects stronger Democratic support this time around, including from members who opposed an earlier version, and signaled confidence that a small number of Republicans could be enough to tip the balance.
“All we’ll 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 warfare,” he said.
The renewed effort comes as lawmakers digest new details about the scope and trajectory of the conflict, which Jeffries argued has evolved significantly since the House last voted on the issue earlier this month.
“We’ve got a lot more information that can be presented to the American people as it relates to the concerns that they, of course, have had from the very beginning about Donald Trump’s reckless war of choice, where there’s no plan, no strategy, no objective.”
Jeffries declined to outline the specifics of the forthcoming resolution, deferring to its sponsors, but indicated it would reflect the reality that the United States is now deeper into the conflict. He also accused the administration of failing to anticipate key developments, including Iran’s effective shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz and the widening scope of the conflict across the region.
“Regime change hasn’t taken place, which was one of the stated goals, and now the administration apparently is threatening to send ground troops into Iran, which we know will be a disaster,” Jeffries said. “We always are going to support our brave and heroic men and women in uniform, but we have a responsibility to make sure that public policy makers within this administration aren’t recklessly sending our troops into harm’s way.”
The push sets up a fresh test for both parties as Washington awaits an expected $200 billion supplemental funding request for the war from the White House—an ask that is already shaping up to be a heavy lift as Democrats demand guardrails and Republicans wrestle with funding a potentially open-ended conflict they once described as limited.
It also comes as Senate Democrats weigh whether to force another vote to end the war after a similar resolution failed on a party-line vote Wednesday. Senate Democrats have multiple procedural options to interrupt floor consideration of the SAVE America Act and have warned they will continue forcing votes unless Republican leaders agree to hold oversight hearings with top national security officials.
The House’s earlier war powers vote failed 212–219, with Democratic leadership limiting defections to four members: Reps. Henry Cuellar (Texas), Jared Golden (Maine), Greg Landsman (Ohio) and Juan Vargas (Calif.). Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Warren Davidson (Ohio) were the only Republicans to support the resolution.
HAPPENINGS
All times Eastern.
The House is out.
The Senate is in at noon and will resume debate on the SAVE America Act. A procedural vote on the House-passed 2026 Department of Homeland Security funding bill is expected at 1 p.m.
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on National Security, Department of States, and Related Programs will hold an oversight field hearing at 10 a.m. on accountability and reform at the United Nations with Ambassador Mike Waltz.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. in support of banning transgender women and girls from competing in women’s sports.
President Trump will participate in the Commander in Chief trophy presentation at 10:30 a.m. before later traveling to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend.
IN THE KNOW
— Voters are increasingly skeptical of the war in Iran, with a new Data for Progress poll finding 68% oppose deploying U.S. ground troops and 52% say the conflict is not worth the risk, compared to 41% who view it as worthwhile. The survey also shows growing economic anxiety tied to the conflict, with 69% of voters saying they’re paying more for gas—a 23-point jump since the strikes began.
— Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) released a new report arguing Republicans’ Planned Parenthood funding ban is already constricting care and raising costs, pointing to sharp drops in visits for breast exams, birth control, and IUDs just six months in. Democrats say the provision is functioning as a “backdoor abortion ban” with disproportionate impacts on low-income and rural patients, while Republicans maintain existing law already restricts federal abortion funding and frame the policy as consistent with long-standing limits.
— House Democrats are moving to block immigration enforcement around the 2026 World Cup, with Reps. Nellie Pou (N.J.), Eric Swalwell (Calif.) and LaMonica McIver (N.J.) each introducing three bills to prohibit ICE sweeps near stadiums, on public transit and at federally funded event sites. The proposals come as lawmakers warn the Trump administration could use the tournament to expand mass deportation efforts, potentially deterring attendance and complicating security operations in host cities.
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