Lawmakers stress new urgency around war powers votes after Iran strikes

Politics Lawmakers stress new urgency around war powers votes after Iran strikes By Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard Politics Reporter Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Read Full Bio Kaia Hubbard March 1, 2026 / 3:18 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — Efforts in Congress to block President Trump from using further military action against Iran without support from lawmakers have intensified after the U.S. and Israel launched a massive military operation on Saturday. Lawmakers are expected to vote this week on resolutions to require President Trump to seek Congressional approval to use military force on Iran as top Democrats — and some Republicans — seek to reassert Congress' power to declare war and prevent a prolonged conflict. And although the votes were expected ahead of the strikes, the administration's actions over the weekend prompted new energy from lawmakers, and calls for Congress to return to Washington immediately to vote as the conflict unfolds. "This is a disaster, it is illegal, and the president is obligated under the Constitution to come to Congress and ask for an authorization of military force," Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said Sunday on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." The U.S. and Israel launched a massive military operation against Iran over the weekend, including striking Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's compound in Tehran and killing him . The U.S. Central Command said Sunday that three American service members were killed and five others were wounded as part of the operation, named Operation Epic Fury. Lawmakers are aiming to block further military action without authorization under the 1973 War Powers Resolution, which Congress passed in response to the Vietnam War as a check on the president's power to enter armed conflict without consent from the legislative branch. The law requires the president to consult with Congress in "every possible in...