Congress returns with packed agenda including Iran war and DHS shutdown

Congress returns from two-week recess to tackle Iran war debate, DHS shutdown funding, and expulsion votes.

Objective Facts

Congress returns to Washington after a two-week recess facing a growing agenda. The Department of Homeland Security partial shutdown is hitting Day 66 Monday when the Senate returns, marking the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Republicans want to pass a separate, party-line bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol, while using budget reconciliation to bypass a Senate filibuster, with Sen. Lindsey Graham stating the 'reconciliation train is on the tracks' and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso saying Republicans are 'united and ready to deliver' on Trump's June 1 deadline. Separately, House and Senate Democrats plan to force votes on Iran war powers resolutions that would call on the president to terminate U.S. armed forces in hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization. Vice President JD Vance left Islamabad after marathon talks failed to yield agreement, and Trump announced on Sunday that the U.S. Navy will impose a blockade preventing ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Regarding framing differences: A CBS News poll shows 36% approve of Trump's handling of Iran while 64% disapprove, indicating the conflict remains unpopular but lacks the strong regional dimension of traditional Middle East conflicts.

Left-Leaning Perspective

Senate Democrats, led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have coalesced against the war, with Schumer arguing 'This war has made us worse off today than before it started' and calling it 'one of the very worst military and foreign policy actions that the United States has ever taken'. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced Democrats will 'force another vote on the House floor around the War Powers Resolution that will compel the Trump administration to cease military hostilities immediately'. Sens. Tim Kaine, Cory Booker, and Chris Murphy stated the ceasefire 'is already being violated' and demanded 'Republican leadership to stand up to Trump's increasingly erratic behavior,' vowing to 'force a vote on a War Powers Resolution to finally end this dangerous war'. Democrats argue the GOP is increasingly tying its midterm fate to a conflict growing more unpopular every week. Democrats have seized on rising gas prices and disruptions in food supply chains after the attacks by U.S. and Israel led Iran to shut down the Strait of Hormuz. They emphasize that the Constitution grants Congress—not the president—the authority to declare war. Rep. Greg Landsman, who previously voted against ending U.S. involvement in Iran, is joining others in calling for a new vote to restrict military action, saying he changed his mind because the aim of degrading Iran's military capabilities was met. Leftist coverage largely omits Republican arguments about regional security threats or strategic deterrence against Iran's nuclear program, focusing instead on constitutional authority and economic costs to everyday Americans.

Right-Leaning Perspective

House Speaker Mike Johnson stated 'Today, Iran is facing the severe consequences of its evil actions' and emphasized that 'President Trump and the Administration have made every effort to pursue peaceful and diplomatic solutions'. Sen. Lindsey Graham argued that military action sent a message to Russia and China, telling Fox News he has 'never met a man' more 'determined to be a peacemaker' than Trump. Most Republicans firmly support the war, with 84% of Republicans approving U.S. military action against Iran according to a CBS News poll. Rep. David Kustoff argued 'Part of America First is making sure that the homeland stays safe and Iran is a factor in our safety,' expressing hope that the ceasefire holds. GOP Rep. Chris Smith expressed optimism that ceasefire efforts could lead to a 'fair and reasonable agreement' that would reduce long-term risks and protect future generations from nuclear escalation. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said ground troops won't be necessary to achieve the U.S.'s goals in Iran. However, the right-wing media ecosystem has unraveled into disarray, with deepening fears over Trump's management of the war spilling into public infighting, as the Iran war has divided prominent MAGA figures since its start. Right-leaning coverage tends to emphasize Trump's commitment to diplomatic solutions and downplays internal GOP divisions, while omitting substantial discussion of economic disruption to U.S. consumers or the constitutional questions about war powers.

Deep Dive

Congress returns to a bifurcated legislative agenda: the Iran war powers debate reflects a fundamental dispute over presidential war authority, while the DHS funding stalemate reveals how Republicans split between hardliners insisting on full reconciliation funding for ICE/CBP and moderates open to bipartisan compromise. The tensions are interconnected—a fractious GOP makes it harder to pass either durable DHS legislation or block Democratic war powers resolutions. Regarding what each side gets right: Democrats are correct that the war has sparked a backlash in U.S. public opinion and that constitutional war powers rest with Congress; Republicans are correct that Iran has demonstrated a pattern of aggression and closure of the Strait creates genuine economic pain. What's omitted: Left-leaning outlets underplay the genuine security dimensions of Iran's nuclear program and regional activity; right-leaning outlets minimize the political costs of elevated oil prices and a protracted conflict with no clear endpoint. What to watch: The War Powers Resolution of 1973 dictates that 60 days after the president first reports hostilities, use of armed forces is automatically terminated unless Congress officially passes authorizing legislation, making April 29 a consequential date on Capitol Hill. Additionally, one House GOP lawmaker told media that come April 29 'a lot of Republicans' would be ready to support a war powers resolution, noting 'that's when you'll see many of us saying no más'. The June 1 DHS reconciliation deadline looms as well, creating timeline pressure that could force difficult votes on both fronts simultaneously.

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Congress returns with packed agenda including Iran war and DHS shutdown

Congress returns from two-week recess to tackle Iran war debate, DHS shutdown funding, and expulsion votes.

Apr 14, 2026
What's Going On

Congress returns to Washington after a two-week recess facing a growing agenda. The Department of Homeland Security partial shutdown is hitting Day 66 Monday when the Senate returns, marking the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Republicans want to pass a separate, party-line bill to fund ICE and Border Patrol, while using budget reconciliation to bypass a Senate filibuster, with Sen. Lindsey Graham stating the 'reconciliation train is on the tracks' and Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso saying Republicans are 'united and ready to deliver' on Trump's June 1 deadline. Separately, House and Senate Democrats plan to force votes on Iran war powers resolutions that would call on the president to terminate U.S. armed forces in hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization. Vice President JD Vance left Islamabad after marathon talks failed to yield agreement, and Trump announced on Sunday that the U.S. Navy will impose a blockade preventing ships from passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Regarding framing differences: A CBS News poll shows 36% approve of Trump's handling of Iran while 64% disapprove, indicating the conflict remains unpopular but lacks the strong regional dimension of traditional Middle East conflicts.

Left says: Democrats have coalesced against the war, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer promising to force another vote this week to end it. Democrats argue that the Constitution grants Congress—not the president—the authority to declare war.
Right says: Most members of Trump's party firmly support the war, with some 84% of Republicans approving of U.S. military action against Iran in a CBS News poll. GOP Rep. Chris Smith expressed optimism that ceasefire efforts could lead to a 'fair and reasonable agreement' that would help reduce long-term risks and protect future generations from nuclear escalation.
✓ Common Ground
Several lawmakers from both parties are expected to push for reforms to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that would add stronger privacy protections before renewing the program, with national security officials arguing the authority is essential while civil liberties advocates raise concerns about incidental data collection involving American citizens.
Both GOP leaders Sen. John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson announced and endorsed a two-track deal to fund DHS through both the appropriations process and reconciliation process.
Some Republicans appear open to the possibility that additional GOP lawmakers could support war powers resolutions as the conflict drags on and lawmakers continue to face questions about the president's actions.
Objective Deep Dive

Congress returns to a bifurcated legislative agenda: the Iran war powers debate reflects a fundamental dispute over presidential war authority, while the DHS funding stalemate reveals how Republicans split between hardliners insisting on full reconciliation funding for ICE/CBP and moderates open to bipartisan compromise. The tensions are interconnected—a fractious GOP makes it harder to pass either durable DHS legislation or block Democratic war powers resolutions. Regarding what each side gets right: Democrats are correct that the war has sparked a backlash in U.S. public opinion and that constitutional war powers rest with Congress; Republicans are correct that Iran has demonstrated a pattern of aggression and closure of the Strait creates genuine economic pain. What's omitted: Left-leaning outlets underplay the genuine security dimensions of Iran's nuclear program and regional activity; right-leaning outlets minimize the political costs of elevated oil prices and a protracted conflict with no clear endpoint. What to watch: The War Powers Resolution of 1973 dictates that 60 days after the president first reports hostilities, use of armed forces is automatically terminated unless Congress officially passes authorizing legislation, making April 29 a consequential date on Capitol Hill. Additionally, one House GOP lawmaker told media that come April 29 'a lot of Republicans' would be ready to support a war powers resolution, noting 'that's when you'll see many of us saying no más'. The June 1 DHS reconciliation deadline looms as well, creating timeline pressure that could force difficult votes on both fronts simultaneously.

◈ Tone Comparison

Democrats employ morally charged language ('genocide,' 'war crimes') and focus on constitutional principles, while Republicans emphasize security threats and strategic necessity. Left-leaning outlets highlight policy costs and public opposition; right-leaning outlets emphasize Iran's intransigence and the need for deterrence, though even conservative media reflects internal GOP divisions over the war.