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Washington Today
By the People, for the People
House Democrats Demand Congress Reconvene to Debate Iran War Powers
Lawmakers slam Trump's 'beyond the pale' rhetoric and urge action to rein in the president's war powers.
Apr. 9, 2026 at 7:55pm
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The partisan debate over the president's war powers rages on as Congress remains deadlocked on how to respond to the escalating conflict with Iran.Washington TodayA group of eight House Democrats from California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington state slammed President Donald Trump's rhetoric on Iran as 'beyond the pale' and urged House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to reconvene Congress and rein in the president's war powers. The lawmakers made a symbolic attempt to bring a War Powers Resolution to the House floor during a pro forma session, but were ignored by the speaker.
Why it matters
The Democrats' move comes as efforts to limit Trump's military actions in Iran have failed in both the House and Senate. The lawmakers argue that Congress must step in to take control of the situation, which they describe as 'out of control' as the conflict has claimed thousands of lives across the Middle East and resulted in 13 U.S. service member deaths and 380 injuries.
The details
The House Democrats criticized Trump's threats to 'wipe out Iran's whole civilization' if the regime did not open the Strait of Hormuz, a major maritime passageway. While a two-week ceasefire agreement was reached, the pause in fighting was punctuated by Iranian drone and missile strikes on Gulf nations and Israeli bombardment of Lebanon, killing roughly 300 and injuring over 1,100.
- On April 9, 2026, House Democrats made a symbolic attempt to bring a War Powers Resolution to the House floor during a pro forma session.
- The House is not scheduled to return until April 14, 2026.
The players
Donald Trump
The President of the United States who has threatened military action against Iran.
Mike Johnson
The Republican Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Don Beyer
A Democratic Congressman from Virginia.
Glenn Ivey
A Democratic Congressman from Maryland who led a press conference on the issue.
Madeleine Dean
A Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania.
What they’re saying
“The pro forma speaker ignored us, which was a tragedy, but we will keep fighting.”
— Don Beyer, Congressman
“He's been terrible at the wheel. The threats of total annihilation were beyond the pale. It's time for Congress to step in and take control of the wheel.”
— Glenn Ivey, Congressman
“Look at us now in a war of his choosing, egged on by Mr. (Benjamin) Netanyahu for his purposes, a war that has proved deadly to 13 members of the American military.”
— Mary Gay Scanlon, Congresswoman
What’s next
The House Speaker's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Democrats' call to reconvene Congress and debate the president's war powers.
The takeaway
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the legislative and executive branches over the use of military force, as well as the deep partisan divisions in Congress over the appropriate response to the escalating conflict with Iran.
