For the first time since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, 2026, Congress has successfully pushed back on presidential war powers. Both the Senate and House have now passed resolutions invoking the War Powers Resolution of 1973, demanding explicit congressional authorization before military operations against Iran can continue beyond the statutory 60-day window.
The move is bipartisan, politically fraught, and already moving markets. Bitcoin surged to approximately $77,200 following the Senate vote, with ether, XRP, and Solana posting significant rebounds of their own.
What Congress actually did
The Senate kicked things off on May 19, 2026, passing S.J.Res. 185 by a razor-thin 50-47 vote. The resolution’s passage hinged on four Republican senators breaking ranks: Rand Paul, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, and Bill Cassidy.
The House followed on June 3-4, 2026, approving H.Con.Res. 38 with a 215-208 vote. Republican Representative Thomas Massie was among those crossing party lines to support the measure.
