US Federal House Bill HCR101

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Committee Review: 5/14/26

Caption

Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

Summary

HCR 101 is a concurrent resolution under the War Powers Resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran unless Congress has specifically authorized such action through a declaration of war or an authorization for use of military force. The resolution is aimed at ending U.S. involvement in combat operations against Iran and would also cover potential ground forces used in a combat or occupation role. The measure includes several limiting provisions. It states that nothing in the resolution should be read to prevent the United States from defending itself, U.S. forces, diplomatic facilities, or allied states from imminent attack. It also preserves the ability to keep U.S. troops in the region for defensive purposes and clarifies that forces not engaged in hostilities against Iran would not be required to withdraw. In addition, the resolution says it should not interfere with intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative activities related to threats from Iran or nearby countries, including intelligence sharing with coalition partners when the President deems it in the national security interest.

Impact

If adopted, the resolution would express Congress’s direction under the War Powers Resolution that U.S. military involvement in hostilities with Iran must end absent explicit congressional authorization. It would not itself authorize force, but it would reinforce the statutory and constitutional debate over presidential war powers and could affect how the executive branch conducts military operations, troop deployments, and combat support activities involving Iran. It would also preserve defensive operations and intelligence activities, limiting its practical effect to offensive hostilities rather than all U.S. military or security activity in the region.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee debate or votes, the resolution appears to reflect a cautious, restraining approach to military engagement with Iran rather than a broad anti-defense position. Its structure suggests support for limiting unauthorized hostilities while preserving self-defense, regional troop presence, and intelligence cooperation. No formal vote history or transcript is available here, so there is no documented bipartisan or partisan sentiment in the provided materials.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the scope of presidential war powers versus Congress’s authority to direct the termination of hostilities. Supporters would favor requiring explicit congressional authorization before military action against Iran, while opponents may argue the resolution could constrain the President’s flexibility in responding to threats or managing regional security. Another likely area of debate is whether the resolution could be interpreted to affect ongoing defensive deployments or intelligence-sharing, although the text includes express carveouts intended to limit those concerns.