War powers

Who decides when the United States goes to war or uses military force abroad, the President or Congress, how Congress oversees it, and whether past authorizations for the use of force stay in effect.

Restore Congress's power to approve wars and military force

14 members
Daniel Biss
House · IL-9 · Democrat
“End the Endless Wars: I’ll work to sunset outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) and require congressional approval for future military actions.”
View on their website ↗
Adrian Boafo
House · MD-5 · Democrat
“Enforcing the War Powers Resolution. Restore Congress’s constitutional war powers by enforcing the War Powers Resolution so no president can take the United States into prolonged conflict without congressional approval.”
View on their website ↗
Patty García
House · IL-4 · Democrat
“More congressional control over the use of military force”
View on their website ↗
Angela Gonzales-Torres
House · CA-34 · Democrat
“Angela refuses to let AIPAC buy her silence on the genocide in Gaza, will fight for an arms embargo and ceasefire, and supports repealing the 2001 AUMF so no president can send troops to war, in Iran or anywhere else, without a vote from Congress.”
View on their website ↗
Adam Hamawy
House · NJ-12 · Democrat
“Reclamar la autoridad del Congreso sobre los poderes de guerra El Congreso no ha declarado la guerra desde la Segunda Guerra Mundial y no ha autorizado el uso de la fuerza militar desde 2002. De alguna manera, siempre estamos en guerra. El presidente no tiene esta autoridad en la Constitución y es hora de que el Congreso reclame su poder. El Congreso no puede darle un cheque en blanco a Donald Trump mientras lanza conflictos y arriesga las vidas de nuestros militares y poblaciones civiles en todo el mundo.”

In Spanish on their site.

View on their website ↗
Micah Lasher
House · NY-12 · Democrat
“Stand up against any president’s attempts to bypass congressional authority on matters of foreign policy, especially by strengthening the War Powers Resolution.”
View on their website ↗
Don Leonard
House · OH-15 · Democrat
“Instead of being drawn into dumb wars with bad allies, rebuild our communities, lead with diplomacy, and restore Congress’s constitutional authority over the decision to go to war.”
View on their website ↗
Mike McGuire
House · CA-1 · Democrat
“The Constitution gives Congress the power to decide matters of war and peace for a reason. No president — Democrat or Republican — should be allowed to bypass the American people and launch a war on their own. Congress cannot sit on the sidelines while a president takes this country into war without congressional authorization or public debate.”
View on their website ↗
“I will fight to reassert Congressional authority established in Article I, Section 8, and stop Donald Trump’s illegal war.”
View on their website ↗
JoAnna Mendoza
House · AZ-6 · Democrat
“She will work to reassert Congress’s role in national security decisions, demand Congressional approval before committing U.S. troops to new conflicts.”
View on their website ↗
Jeremy Moss
House · MI-11 · Democrat
“Ending the illegal wars that are driving up costs: We cannot ignore that Americans back home are paying for Trump’s wars and interventions. With no end in sight, gas prices will only continue to rise, as will other goods as the supply chain continues to break down. Congress must reassert their war powers and bring stability back to our economy.”
View on their website ↗
Show the other 4 members
Chris Rabb
House · PA-3 · Democrat
“Every President in modern history has avoided Congressional oversight while conducting bombing campaigns and military expeditions abroad. Congress is supposed to act as a check and balance on Presidential war-making authority, but has failed to live up to its responsibility year after year. We must immediately reduce the U.S. military footprint abroad and invest in addressing the root causes of systemic violence across the world.”
View on their website ↗
“A New War Powers Act”
View on their website ↗
Fred Wellman
House · MO-2 · Democrat
“The United States must defend our country, stand with our allies, uphold democracy and human rights, and pursue diplomacy wherever possible. Military force should never be used without lawful authority, clear objectives, and an honest plan for what comes next. Congress must reclaim its constitutional responsibility for decisions of war and peace, because service members and their families should never pay the price for political recklessness.”
View on their website ↗
“Congress must exercise its constitutional war powers, demand clear objectives and accountability, and pursue serious diplomacy. This war has cost us lives, treasure, and international prestige and allies. We cannot gamble with American lives in an illegal, open-ended conflict without congressional authorization or a credible plan for what comes next.”
View on their website ↗
Scott Wiener
House · CA-11 · Democrat
“Scott will push to restore meaningful negotiations while maintaining multilateral pressure. Military force is a last resort, and any use of it requires explicit authorization from Congress”
View on their website ↗
“Oppose future military strikes on Iran without explicit Congressional authorization.”
View on their website ↗
Marni von Wilpert
House · CA-48 · Democrat
“Marni opposes Trump’s unauthorized wars that rip away, and she’ll work to rebuild America’s alliances and standing in the world.”
View on their website ↗

Strengthen congressional oversight of military operations

6 members
Victoria Broderick
House · TN-4 · Democrat
“demand Real oversight on war and defense spending”
View on their website ↗
“I will demand real accountability on how and why we commit to military engagements, and I will not support open-ended wars with no defined path to resolution.”
View on their website ↗
Bob Brooks
House · PA-7 · Democrat
“Democrats used to stand against reckless wars, valuing oversight, restraint, and putting America’s interests first. It’s time to get back to that.”
View on their website ↗
Cait Conley
House · NY-17 · Democrat
“Enacting Congressional oversight to stop Trump’s unchecked military actions.”
View on their website ↗
Zach Dembo
House · KY-6 · Democrat
“It also means we need to call out our own country’s actions. I oppose illegal and unnecessary wars. What’s happened in Iran and with the boats coming from Venezuela – and what this administration is hinting at with possible military action in Greenland and Cuba – is a dangerous abuse of power and violates international law. Bare minimum, we need congressional oversight and our international allies to agree before we go to war.”
View on their website ↗
Denise Powell
House · NE-2 · Democrat
“Demand Congressional oversight of military measures, stopping Trump’s unchecked actions without a strategic plan and clear exit strategy.”
View on their website ↗
Fred Wellman
House · MO-2 · Democrat
“The Iran War has been an unmitigated disaster in every way. Congress must immediately act to end this misbegotten venture, conduct real oversight, and demand answers and accountability for the Trump Administration's failures in executing it.”
View on their website ↗
“We must also act immediately to end the endless wars and illegal boat attacks started by Donald Trump and eagerly executed by Hegseth. Congress must do its Constitutional Duty to authorize funding and oversee the Department of Defense and national security agencies.”
View on their website ↗

Strengthen and enforce the War Powers Resolution

4 members
Adrian Boafo
House · MD-5 · Democrat
“Enforcing the War Powers Resolution. Restore Congress’s constitutional war powers by enforcing the War Powers Resolution so no president can take the United States into prolonged conflict without congressional approval.”
View on their website ↗
Micah Lasher
House · NY-12 · Democrat
“Stand up against any president’s attempts to bypass congressional authority on matters of foreign policy, especially by strengthening the War Powers Resolution.”
View on their website ↗
Chris Rabb
House · PA-3 · Democrat
“A New War Powers Act”
View on their website ↗
Fred Wellman
House · MO-2 · Democrat
“America must protect our people and our allies, but that does not give any president unchecked authority to drag the country into another war. The War Powers Act is not a 60-day war-of-choice coupon.”
View on their website ↗

Use war powers votes to end the current wars and strikes

4 members
Mike McGuire
House · CA-1 · Democrat
“I will fight to reassert Congressional authority established in Article I, Section 8, and stop Donald Trump’s illegal war.”
View on their website ↗
Jeremy Moss
House · MI-11 · Democrat
“Ending the illegal wars that are driving up costs: We cannot ignore that Americans back home are paying for Trump’s wars and interventions. With no end in sight, gas prices will only continue to rise, as will other goods as the supply chain continues to break down. Congress must reassert their war powers and bring stability back to our economy.”
View on their website ↗
Claire Valdez
House · NY-7 · Democrat
“Fight to end the War on Iran and stop future wars: The Iran campaign is costing us $2 billion per day and we have no clear plan for permanently ending it. U.S. and Israeli airstrikes have already killed over 1,400 Iranians, and security experts have argued the war has made us more vulnerable to nuclear attacks and eroded the possibility for long-term diplomacy. Claire will fight to pass a bipartisan War Powers Resolution to force the end of hostilities and will oppose any funding for the war.”
View on their website ↗
“End the war on drugs and extrajudicial killings: Claire will fight to pass a War Powers Resolution to end the illegal, ongoing extrajudicial killings in the Caribbean and oppose any future unilateral military interventions in Latin America under the guise of the war on drugs.”
View on their website ↗
Fred Wellman
House · MO-2 · Democrat
“The Iran War has been an unmitigated disaster in every way. Congress must immediately act to end this misbegotten venture, conduct real oversight, and demand answers and accountability for the Trump Administration's failures in executing it.”
View on their website ↗

Repeal outdated authorizations for the use of military force

2 members
Daniel Biss
House · IL-9 · Democrat
“End the Endless Wars: I’ll work to sunset outdated Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs) and require congressional approval for future military actions.”
View on their website ↗
Angela Gonzales-Torres
House · CA-34 · Democrat
“Angela refuses to let AIPAC buy her silence on the genocide in Gaza, will fight for an arms embargo and ceasefire, and supports repealing the 2001 AUMF so no president can send troops to war, in Iran or anywhere else, without a vote from Congress.”
View on their website ↗

Require allies to agree before the US goes to war

1 member
Zach Dembo
House · KY-6 · Democrat
“It also means we need to call out our own country’s actions. I oppose illegal and unnecessary wars. What’s happened in Iran and with the boats coming from Venezuela – and what this administration is hinting at with possible military action in Greenland and Cuba – is a dangerous abuse of power and violates international law. Bare minimum, we need congressional oversight and our international allies to agree before we go to war.”
View on their website ↗

From January 3, the class of 2026 is in hearings

Search congressional hearings. Get the clip.

Find what any member of Congress has said or asked in a hearing, and watch the moment it happened.

See plans

Search launches soon. The transcript archive is free now.