After renewed U.S. strikes on Iran on July 7, the administration sent Congress a War Powers Resolution notice and said a new 60-day period for military action had begun. The campaign also included a blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and a 20% charge on cargo moving through it. Congress had previously considered a resolution directing the withdrawal of U.S. forces from hostilities involving Iran. The immediate dispute is how much room a president needs to protect U.S. forces and shipping, and when continued operations become a war that requires explicit congressional authorization. A president may need minutes to defend troops, but months of strikes and a blockade are a different matter. The rule should leave room for real emergencies while making Congress own any sustained war.
When U.S. forces fight Iran, who should control the clock?