The House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution aimed at limiting President Trump's military engagement in Iran. The measure, sponsored by Representative Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), passed by a vote of 220-204. This marks the third time the House has passed such a resolution, with an increase in Republican support from four to seven. Notably, Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn of Iowa, both facing competitive re-election campaigns, were among the Republicans who voted in favor. The conflict has seen 19 U.S. service members killed and over 750 wounded, with an estimated cost of $42 billion to date.
Representative Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) emphasized that Congress has not authorized a war with Iran, accusing the administration of waging an "illegal war" without a clear plan for victory or exit. The Pentagon's watchdog reported approximately $184 million in damages to U.S. diplomatic facilities in four Gulf countries due to Iranian military strikes. The war has also led to extended troop deployments, with over 50,000 American troops remaining in the region.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected that the conflict, which is costing between $2 billion and $3 billion monthly, will likely spike inflation by 0.5 percentage points early next year. The total cost of the war has exceeded $380 billion as of August 1. The war has also disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, impacting global energy prices. Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, alleging he initiated an unauthorized war.
Two of the new Republican supporters, Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Zach Nunn, are in races considered "toss-ups." Nunn, an Air Force veteran, stated he could not support another open-ended war and called for clear objectives and constitutional oversight. The third new Republican supporter, Representative Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), is not seeking re-election to the House but lost a Republican primary for governor. Senate Democrats are also planning another vote on their own war powers resolution, with Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) indicating he would support it as a "pressure" tactic to achieve strategic clarity.
