US House Approves Resolution to Halt Iran War as Seven Republicans Break Ranks

For a third time, the US House has voted to end the war in Iran, approving a war powers resolution that would halt President Donald Trump’s ability to continue military action without congressional approval.

The roll call late Tuesday, 220-204, mirrored earlier efforts this summer, with additional support from Republicans joining all Democrats to halt the conflict. Seven House Republicans backed the resolution, including three voting in favour for the first time. Iowa congressman Zach Nunn explained his vote by stating that with the negotiating window closed, sustained combat operations now require congressional authorization. Nunn emphasized that he would not support another open-ended war.

None of the previous resolutions have reached the president’s desk, where President Donald Trump would almost certainly veto the measure. Republican Representative Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, questioned which military resources Democrats sought to remove from a region where Iran remains an active threat. Mast argued that President Donald Trump opposes forever wars and that the current conflict aims to end decades of Iranian hostilities.

The legislative action arrives just ahead of the midterm elections, where the overseas conflict is heavily influencing political campaigns. The war, launched by President Donald Trump on February 28, has persisted for nearly seven months through intermittent missile strikes and regional disruption. Lawmakers are preparing to leave Washington at the end of the week to campaign nearly full-time, with fewer than 50 days remaining before elections that will determine control of Congress.

A report released Tuesday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) revealed that the six-month war has cost $38bn, with expenses projected to rise by $3bn per month, worsening inflation and straining US munitions stockpiles. The conflict is expected to increase inflation by 0.5 percentage points in the early months of 2027. Despite President Donald Trump's initial campaign promises to avoid foreign wars, the conflict in Iran is weighing heavily on the Republican Party.

Congress has continually attempted to alter the war's trajectory, though limiting presidential military action remains difficult while veto powers remain intact. The House previously approved war powers resolutions in June and July. Meanwhile, the Senate also passed a similar resolution on its tenth try before Republican senators reversed course following pressure from President Donald Trump during a closed-door lunch. While the US Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war, it also designates the president as commander-in-chief, leaving the War Powers Act to regulate sustained military actions.