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. 89
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: International Affairs
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-04-23: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Last Updated: 2026-05-28T21:01:03Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 89) directs the President to end U.S. military involvement in hostilities against Iran, using the authority of section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution—a 1973 law that requires the President to notify Congress of military actions and allows Congress to direct the removal of forces if not authorized by war declaration or specific approval.

Key Provisions

Termination of Hostilities (Section 1): Orders the removal of U.S. Armed Forces from combat or occupation roles against Iran or its government/military, unless Congress passes a declaration of war or specific authorization for military force (AUMF).
Exceptions: Allows self-defense against imminent attacks on the U.S., its forces, diplomatic sites, or allies; permits defensive troop presence in the region; does not require removing non-combat forces.
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 Authority (Section 3): Explicitly does not approve any use of military force, per the War Powers Resolution.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

No direct changes to law; it invokes existing War Powers Resolution procedures to enforce congressional oversight on military actions without prior authorization.
Reinforces limits on presidential war powers by mandating withdrawal from unauthorized hostilities.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Compels the President and Department of Defense to halt offensive operations against Iran, potentially redirecting military resources; intelligence agencies (e.g., CIA) unaffected.
Citizens: Reduces risk of U.S. troop involvement in Iran-related conflicts, potentially lowering casualties and costs.
International Relations: Could de-escalate tensions with Iran; signal to allies (e.g., Israel, Gulf states) a shift toward defensive-only posture; maintain intelligence cooperation with partners.

Main Stakeholders Affected

U.S. Government: President (executive compliance), Congress (asserts war powers role), Armed Forces (operational changes).
Iran: Targets of halted hostilities.
Allies and Regional Actors: U.S. partners in Middle East (e.g., for defensive support or intelligence sharing).
U.S. Public: Indirectly through national security and military engagement.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal/Constitutional: Tests separation of powers—Congress reasserts authority over undeclared wars under War Powers Resolution, which presidents have often challenged or ignored.
Political: As a concurrent resolution (needs House/Senate approval but no presidential signature), it expresses congressional intent but lacks binding force of law unless enforced politically; introduced April 23, 2026, by Rep. Jayapal and referred to Foreign Affairs Committee, highlighting partisan debates on military interventions.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]

Recent Actions

2026-04-23: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
2026-04-23: 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 2026-04-23 — PDF (3 pages)