Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

Bill Number: H.Con.Res. 88
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: International Affairs
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-04-22: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Last Updated: 2026-05-28T21:01:01Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 88) directs the President to end the involvement of U.S. Armed Forces in hostilities against Iran, based on section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution—a 1973 law that requires congressional approval for prolonged military actions and allows Congress to order a withdrawal via such a resolution.

Key Provisions

Termination of Hostilities (Section 1(a)): Orders the President to remove U.S. forces from combat or occupation roles against Iran or its government/military, unless Congress approves via a formal declaration of war or specific authorization for military force.
Exceptions to Termination (Section 1(b)):
Allows self-defense of the U.S., its forces, diplomatic sites, or allies from imminent attacks.
Permits defensive troop presence in the region.
Does not require removing forces not engaged in hostilities against Iran.
Intelligence Protection (Section 2): Does not interfere with U.S. intelligence collection, analysis, or sharing with partners, if the President deems it in national security interests.
No New Military Authority (Section 3): Explicitly states the resolution does not authorize any use of military force, per the War Powers Resolution.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

No direct changes to statutes; instead, it invokes and applies the existing War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1544(c)) to mandate an immediate end to unauthorized hostilities.
Reinforces Congress's role in enforcing time limits on military engagements without approval.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: U.S. Department of Defense must withdraw forces from offensive roles against Iran, potentially shifting to defensive postures; intelligence agencies (e.g., CIA) continue operations unaffected.
Citizens: Reduces risk of escalation into broader war, but could limit U.S. responses to threats from Iran.
International Relations: Signals de-escalation with Iran, may reassure regional allies of continued defensive support, but could embolden Iran or strain ties with partners expecting U.S. offensive action.

Main Stakeholders Affected

U.S. Congress: Asserts oversight of military actions.
President and Executive Branch: Must comply with withdrawal directive if passed.
U.S. Armed Forces: Personnel in or near Iran face operational changes.
Iran and Regional Actors: Alters U.S. military posture toward Iran.
U.S. Allies (e.g., Israel, Gulf states): Defensive commitments preserved, but offensive support limited.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Relies on the War Powers Resolution, which has been debated in courts but rarely enforced this way; binding if both House and Senate pass it (currently introduced and referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee).
Constitutional: Highlights Article I (Congress's war powers) vs. Article II (President's commander-in-chief role), potentially testing separation of powers.
Political: Symbolic assertion of congressional authority over undeclared conflicts; could spark partisan debate on foreign policy and national security.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]

Recent Actions

2026-04-22: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2026-04-22: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran. — issued 2026-04-22 — PDF (3 pages)