WASHINGTON, D.C. March 1, 2026 – Senator Adam Schiff (D-California) announced Monday that he will join Senators Tim Kaine (D-Virginia), Rand Paul (R-Kentucky), and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) in forcing a Senate vote on a War Powers Resolution. The move aims to affirm that Congress has not authorized the U.S. military strikes against Iran that began over the weekend.
“Congress holds the power to declare war – not the President,” Schiff posted on X (formerly Twitter). “I will be joining Senators @SenTimKaine, @SenRandPaul and @SenSchumer in forcing a vote on our war powers resolution to make it clear: Congress has not authorized this use of our military.”
The announcement comes as U.S. and Israeli forces continue Operation Epic Fury, a large-scale military campaign launched on February 28–March 1, 2026. The strikes targeted Iranian nuclear sites, ballistic missile facilities, and regime leadership, resulting in the confirmed death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and multiple top Iranian officials. President Donald Trump has stated that combat operations will continue “until all of our objectives are achieved,” warning of potential additional U.S. casualties after three American service members were killed in the initial phase.
Schiff appeared on ABC’s *This Week* on Sunday, sharply criticizing the administration. “The president broke his promise to the American people of no more regime change wars. Broke his promise to focus on bringing down the costs for American families,” he said. “There’s nothing in this action that’s going to improve the lives of Americans.”
The War Powers Resolution, introduced earlier this year, is privileged and can be brought to the Senate floor for a vote. It would require explicit congressional authorization for sustained U.S. hostilities against Iran, while preserving the president’s ability to act in self-defense or to protect Israel from direct attack.
The bipartisan effort reflects growing concern on Capitol Hill over the lack of prior congressional approval for the strikes, which followed Iran’s refusal of U.S. demands to scale back its nuclear program. Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks on U.S. and allied assets across the Gulf region, escalating tensions further.
Senate Democrats and some Republicans have called for an immediate return to session to debate the resolution. Supporters argue that Article I of the Constitution grants Congress sole authority to declare war, and that the American public deserves a transparent debate before any deeper entanglement in the Middle East.
As regional conflict intensifies—with reports of Iranian strikes on Gulf targets and U.S. vows of overwhelming response—lawmakers from both parties are watching closely to see whether the Senate will force a vote that could shape the future of U.S. involvement.
Life News Agency will continue to monitor developments in Washington and the Middle East.
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