Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine's recently-introduced War Powers Resolution heads to a vote on Wednesday amid rising tension across the Middle East.
This resolution was initially introduced on Jan. 29 and it faces an expedited timeline. It currently is co-sponsored by 23 Democratic senators and one Republican senator.
Kaine, a Democrat who sits on the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, has been vocal regarding his opposition to war with Iran. He's called President Donald Trump's order to take military action in Iran illegal, noting that this move should've had Congressional approval.
“Americans want President Trump to lower prices—not drag us into unnecessary forever wars. Yet he has unilaterally launched strikes at Iran without congressional authorization, failed to articulate a clear strategy, and callously said he doesn’t ‘have the yips about boots on the ground,’” Kaine said in a statement sent to News 3.
If passed, this resolution would require U.S. armed forces to be removed from "imminent engagement" within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran. The resolution also states that the United States and Israel are still permitted to defend themselves from attacks on their personnel or facilities in other nations.
Kaine's resolution needs bipartisan support for it to pass the Senate and House.
“This was our last best chance to strike, what we’re doing right now, and eliminate the intolerable threats posed by this sick and sinister regime,” Trump said during a Medal of Honor ceremony at the White House on Monday.
The president said the objectives of the campaign include destroying Iran’s missile capabilities and naval forces, preventing it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and stopping its support for proxy groups across the region. Trump has suggested the operation could last four to five weeks, though he emphasized that the United States has the capacity to continue longer if necessary.
This isn't the first time Kaine has sponsored a resolution aiming to curb the Trump administration's military actions.
Back in Oct. 2025, the Democratic senator introduced his War Powers Resolution in an attempt to curb the Trump administration's military actions against Venezuela. At the time, the U.S. military had been striking boats in the Caribbean that were alleged to have been carrying drugs. This resolution narrowly failed to pass a full Senate vote back in Nov. 2025.
The House of Representatives is also set to vote on a mirrored version of the War Powers Resolution.
