Friday, March 6, 2026

Pasadena’s Chu Votes to Halt Iran War, but House Rejects Resolution 212-219

[Rep. Judy Chu via Facebook]

The congresswoman also backed a bipartisan measure designating Iran the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism

Rep. Judy Chu voted Thursday to stop U.S. military operations in Iran, backing a War Powers Resolution that would have required the withdrawal of American forces from the conflict. The House rejected the measure 212-219.

Chu, a Democrat whose 28th Congressional District includes Pasadena, cast two votes on the Iran conflict in quick succession. She supported the War Powers Resolution, H.Con.Res. 38, and also voted for a separate resolution reaffirming that Iran remains the largest state sponsor of terrorism. That second measure passed 372-53, according to the Clerk of the House.

The votes came as U.S. military operations in Iran entered their second week. Six American service members have been killed and 18 others seriously wounded since the U.S. and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on February 28, according to U.S. Central Command. The national average gas price jumped 11 cents overnight to $3.11 per gallon in the days after the strikes began, according to AAA — the largest single-day spike since 2022.

The War Powers Resolution was sponsored by Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican, and co-sponsored by Rep. Ro Khanna, a California Democrat. It would have directed the president to terminate the use of U.S. Armed Forces against Iran unless Congress declared war or authorized the use of military force. The vote fell largely along party lines. Two Republicans — Massie and Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio — voted in favor. Four Democrats — Reps. Henry Cuellar of Texas, Jared Golden of Maine, Greg Landsman of Ohio, and Juan Vargas of California — voted against it.

The Senate had rejected a similar measure a day earlier, 47-53.

In a statement released after the vote, Chu said the president had launched the war without congressional authorization, according to her office’s press release.

“Despite no imminent threat to the United States, no long-term strategy, no support from the American public, and no authorization from Congress, the President launched a war in Iran,” Chu said in the statement. “That is a direct challenge to the constitutional guardrails that have protected our democracy for generations.”

Chu said the conflict had already cost American lives and affected household budgets.

“This war has already claimed the lives of six American servicemembers, and the President himself has said he expects even more deaths to come,” Chu said. “It has already caused gas prices to rise by 11 cents a gallon as Americans face an affordability crisis.”

Chu also addressed her vote on H.Res. 1099, the resolution designating Iran a state sponsor of terrorism, which was sponsored by House Foreign Affairs Chairman Brian Mast, a Florida Republican.

“I voted yes on H.Res. 1099, a resolution affirming that Iran remains the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, because it is true that the Iranian regime brutally oppresses its own people and spreads terror and violence throughout the world,” Chu said in the statement. “Those facts, however, do not justify President Trump’s decision to launch a foreign war with no authorization and no plan.”

Chu has represented the 28th Congressional District since 2009. The district includes Pasadena, Altadena, and communities across the west San Gabriel Valley. Her Pasadena district office is located at 527 S. Lake Ave., Suite 250.

The Pentagon is preparing a supplemental funding request for the Iran operations, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican, said Thursday. Whether Congress will vote to authorize the military campaign remains an open question.