SJRES 123 — Congress 119
A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
Official source: https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/123
Congress.gov subjects: International Affairs
Issues impacted: Defense & National Security (ai, high), Foreign Policy & Sanctions (ai, high)
Official bill text (stored)
Plain-text extraction from Congress.gov text formats. Canonical source remains the official URL above. Full text is prioritized for bills with roll-call votes.
94 SJ 123 IS: To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. U.S. Senate 2026-03-10 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain. IIA 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. J. RES. 123 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 10, 2026 Ms. Duckworth (for herself, Mr. Booker , Mr. Kaine , Mr. Murphy , Mr. Schiff , and Ms. Baldwin ) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations JOINT RESOLUTION To direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress. 1. Findings Congress makes the following findings: (1) Congress has the sole power to declare war under article I, section 8, clause 11 of the United States Constitution. (2) The President has a constitutional responsibility to take actions to defend the United States and its territories, possessions, citizens, service members, and diplomats from attack. (3) Congress has not declared war upon Iran or any person or organization within Iran, nor enacted a specific statutory authorization for the use of military force within or against Iran. (4) The purpose of the War Powers Resolution, as stated in section 2(a) of such resolution ( 50 U.S.C. 1541(a) ), is to insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities. . (5) Section 3 of the War Powers Resolution ( 50 U.S.C. 1542 ) states, The President in every possible instance shall consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances. . (6) On February 28, 2026, the Trump administration launched Operation Epic Fury, introducing the United States military into hostilities as part of a military campaign against the Government of Iran that he described as major combat operations. Since then, the President and various administration officials have offered inconsistent timelines for the continuation of military operations against Iran with President Trump’s March 2, 2026, notification to Congress pursuant to the War Powers Resolution of 1973 stating that it is not possible at this time to know the full scope and duration of military operations that may be necessary . (7) As of March 9, 2026, seven members of the United States Armed Forces have been killed as part of Operation Epic Fury, and President Trump has suggested there will likely be additional American lives lost, stating on March 2, 2026, We pray for the full recovery of the wounded and send our immense love and eternal gratitude to the families of the fallen. And, sadly, there will likely be more before it ends. That’s the way it is. Likely be more. . (8) The use of military force within or against Iran constitutes the introduction of United States Armed Forces into hostilities within the meaning of section 4(a) of the War Powers Resolution ( 50 U.S.C. 1543(a) ). (9) Section 1013 of the Department of State Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 ( 50 U.S.C. 1546a ) provides that any joint resolution or bill requiring the removal of United States Armed Forces from imminent engagement in hostilities without a declaration of war or specific statutory authorization shall be considered in accordance with the expedited procedures under section 601(b) of the International Security and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 ( Public Law 94–329 ). 2. Removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran Pursuant to section 1013 of the Department of State Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1984 and 1985 ( 50 U.S.C. 1546a ), and in accordance with section 601(b) of the International Security Assistance and Arms Export Control Act of 1976 ( Public Law 94–329 ), Congress hereby directs the President to remove the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force. 3. Rule of construction Nothing in this resolution may be construed to prevent the United States from— (1) defending against an attack on the United States or its personnel or facilities in other nations; (2) collecting, analyzing, or sharing intelligence, including with the State of Israel and United States partners and allies, and international organizations as appropriate, related to defending against threats from Iran or its proxies; (3) assisting partner countries who have been attacked by Iran since February 28, 2026, and other nations— (A) in taking defensive measures to protect their territory from retaliatory attacks by Iran or its proxies; or (B) by providing defensive materiel support for such defensive measures; or (4) providing assistance for the security, departure, and evacuation to United States citizens affected by the hostilities.
Plain-English summary
Confidence: high · Complexity: moderate · Model: grok-4.5
This one’s a joint resolution—basically Congress trying to put its foot down—that would tell the President to pull U.S. troops out of fighting inside or against Iran unless Congress has clearly said yes first, either by declaring war or passing a specific go-ahead law.
Here’s the core claim in plain terms: the Constitution gives Congress the war power, and it hasn’t used it for Iran. The text says the administration kicked off a military campaign called Operation Epic Fury in late February 2026, troops have already been killed, and there’s no clear end date. Under the old War Powers rules—the laws meant to make the President and Congress share the call on sending forces into combat—this measure would order those forces out of that unauthorized fight.
It’s not a total lockdown on everything Iran-related. The U.S. could still defend itself, its people, or its facilities if attacked. It could still share intelligence (including with partners like Israel), help countries that got hit take defensive steps, and get Americans out safely.
Who’d notice most? Service members and families tied to that mission, plus anyone who cares how much say Congress gets once troops are already in a fight. The full text on congress.gov is the source of record.
Related issues
How a vote maps to positions
Impartial mapping: which issue position a Yea vs Nay advances. When a bill has multiple floor votes, each roll can have its own mapping. Bill-level entries (no roll listed) apply as a default when a roll has no specific map. Used for legislator alignment.
All rolls (bill default)
| Issue | Yea advances | Nay advances | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreign Policy & Sanctions | Restraint and limited overseas commitments | Status quo / reject this change | Yea directs removal of U.S. forces from Iran hostilities lacking a declaration of war or specific AUMF; Nay keeps the current military posture and rejects that pullout order. |
| Defense & National Security | Reduce defense outlays or scope | Status quo / reject this change | Yea narrows ongoing combat operations by ordering forces out of unauthorized Iran hostilities; Nay rejects that operational limit and prefers continuing the existing mission baseline. |