US Federal House Bill HCR99

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Committee Review: 5/12/26

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 99 is a concurrent resolution directing the President, under section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress has expressly authorized such action through a declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military force. The resolution is aimed at limiting U.S. military engagement with Iran and would apply to hostilities involving Iran or its government or military, including combat or occupation roles. The measure includes several express carveouts. 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, or from maintaining a defensive troop presence in the region. It also clarifies that U.S. personnel not engaged in hostilities against Iran would not be required to leave the region. In addition, the resolution says it should not disrupt intelligence, counterintelligence, or investigative activities related to threats in or from Iran, and it does not itself authorize the use of military force.

Impact

If adopted, the resolution would be a congressional directive under the War Powers Resolution intended to constrain the executive branch’s ability to use U.S. armed forces in hostilities with Iran absent further congressional authorization. It would not repeal any statute, but it would invoke the War Powers framework to require withdrawal from covered hostilities and reinforce the requirement for explicit congressional approval before military force is used against Iran. The resolution also preserves defensive operations and intelligence-sharing activities, limiting its effect to offensive or hostilities-related uses of force.

Sentiment

The available context suggests the bill is framed in a cautious, anti-escalation posture rather than a broad anti-military posture. Its text emphasizes limits on hostilities while preserving self-defense, regional troop presence, and intelligence activities, which indicates an effort to balance restraint with national security concerns. No committee transcript or vote record is available, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment beyond the resolution’s own carefully tailored language.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely the balance between congressional control over war powers and executive flexibility in responding to threats from Iran. Supporters would likely view the resolution as a necessary check on unauthorized military escalation, while opponents may argue it could constrain presidential response options or complicate deterrence and crisis management. The explicit exceptions for self-defense, allied defense, and intelligence activities appear designed to address those concerns, but the core dispute remains whether Congress should preemptively limit military hostilities with Iran absent new authorization.