House Foreign Affairs Ranking Member Meeks Drops Resolution Compelling Speaker Johnson to File Iran WPR Lawsuit Against Trump Admin

Washington, D.C. - Representative Gregory W. Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced a bipartisan Resolution that would require the Speaker to initiate or intervene in litigation to support the legal enforcement of H. Con. Res. 86, which requires the President to cease hostilities with Iran and has passed both chambers of Congress.

A PDF of the Resolution can be found here. 

By requiring Speaker Johnson to lead as plaintiff, this Resolution would help address concerns over legal standing in the courts. 

“The power to declare war rests unequivocally with Congress, yet Speaker Johnson and the vast majority of Republicans have allowed President Trump to trample over the Constitution and wage a war that has not been authorized by Congress. Nevertheless, Democrats, together with the few Republicans who upheld their oath, successfully passed my Iran War Powers Resolution that requires the president to end his hostilities in Iran last month. Despite what the administration might say, I believe my War Powers Resolution is binding, and it is time to settle that question in the courts. As the Speaker of the House, Johnson must bring this suit forward. If the Speaker won’t defend congressional prerogatives, we must compel him to do so, which is why I’ve introduced this legislation to force his hand.” 

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