US Congress votes on two Iran war-powers resolutions; House passes, Senate falls short

On Thursday, July 23, 2026, the two chambers of the US Congress reached different conclusions on ending the war with Iran. The House of Representatives passed, by 214 votes to 208, a concurrent resolution introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal (Democrat of Washington) that formally calls on President Donald Trump to end the war. Four Republicans, Tom Barrett, Warren Davidson, Thomas Massie and Brian Fitzpatrick, joined all Democrats. Being a "concurrent" resolution, it is not binding and does not go to the president's desk for signature.

In the Senate, an effort to discharge a binding joint resolution by Sen. Chris Van Hollen (Democrat of Maryland) from the Foreign Relations Committee fell just short, 49 to 47; Sen. Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, was the only member of her party to vote for it.

Neither vote on its own halts the war, but both reflect growing discontent in Congress, including among some Republicans, over Trump's use of war powers. The continuing war pushed Brent crude above 100 dollars this week and has kept gold near a record high; the failure of the two measures to stop the war means the war-risk premium remains on energy and on Iran's markets.