How Congress gave up its power over war and peace

In 1973, after it was discovered that the U.S. had secretly bombed Cambodia, Congress took action. In an effort to assert its power over matters of war and peace, Congress pushed through the War Powers Resolution despite then-President Richard Nixon’s veto, and it has been law ever since.Unfortunately, congressional enforcement of the War Powers Resolution has been mixed. In 2026 alone, Congress has put forward some 19 war powers resolutions in an attempt to rein in hostilities in Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and Lebanon. So far, none of these resolutions has stopped a conflict.Take Iran, for exampl