Washington, D.C. — On Thursday, Demand Progress published a comprehensive memo debunking the incorrect media narrative that the recently-adopted Iran War Powers Resolution (H.Con.Res.86) is merely symbolic and lacks the force of law. The bipartisan war powers resolution, adopted by Congress in June, has repeatedly and misleadingly been described in news coverage as "symbolic," "non-binding," or lacking "the force of law." This narrative misleadingly presents a disputed constitutional question as settled law and completely skips over an active legal debate currently being advanced by members of Congress, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY), Representative John Larson (D-CT), Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).
Demand Progress recently co-led a coalition of more than 30 civil society groups—including MoveOn, Indivisible and Ploughshares—that sent a letter calling on Congress to use every legal and political tool available to defend the historic Iran War Powers Resolution and to end the illegal war in Iran. Demand Progress Senior Policy Advisor Cavan Kharrazian is available to answer questions about the memo. If you wish to speak to him, please email eric@demandprogress.org or call (202) 642-6001.