Congressional War Powers

House Republicans used a pro‑forma recess, with Rep. Chris Smith presiding, to end a session without recognizing Rep. Glenn Ivey’s unanimous‑consent request, effectively blocking House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ push to bring a war‑powers resolution curbing President Trump’s Iran authority to the floor and prompting Jeffries to demand the chamber be reconvened. Republicans framed the move as protecting the president’s operational freedom in the Iran campaign — a step Axios called a long‑shot Democratic gambit to sharpen contrasts ahead of the midterms — while Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, pledge to force a separate Iran war‑powers vote next week.