Constitution Index · S.J.Res. 123 · 2026-03-10
A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress.
Latest official status (2026-04-15): Motion to discharge Senate Committee on Foreign Relations rejected by Yea-Nay Vote. 47 - 52. Record Vote Number: 79.
Constitutional grade
A
Constitutional
This joint resolution is fully constitutional. It reinforces Congress's exclusive power to declare war under Article I, Section 8, Clause 11, and does not infringe any rights or liberties. It properly restrains executive war-making that lacks congressional authorization, while preserving the President's inherent authority to repel sudden attacks.
Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 Article I Amendment V
SI-generated grade · passed automated checks (real Constitution citation, language rules) · not individually reviewed by a person · methodology · Report an error: hello@valuesforamerica.com
The five checks
Enumerated powers · passes
Congress has explicit constitutional authority under Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 to declare war and to define the limits of military hostilities. This resolution exercises that power by requiring congressional authorization for ongoing or new hostilities against Iran. It does not exceed any enumerated power; rather, it reasserts a core legislative function.
Bill of Rights · passes
The resolution does not regulate speech, religion, assembly, press, petition, arms, quartering, search and seizure, self-incrimination, due process, takings, trial rights, or cruel punishment. It addresses only the deployment of armed forces abroad, which does not implicate any provision of the Bill of Rights.
Individual liberty · passes
The resolution imposes no restriction on individual person, property, speech, labor, or belief. It directs the President to remove troops from hostilities, which is a structural check on executive power, not a limitation on individual freedom. No compelling governmental justification is needed because no individual right is burdened.
Decentralization · passes
The resolution passes all four questions: (1) Individuals and families cannot handle international military hostilities; (2) local communities cannot handle them; (3) states cannot handle them; (4) the resolution does not consolidate decision-making upward—it actually returns war-making authority to Congress, the most representative branch, rather than leaving it with the President alone. This is a proper exercise of federal power under Article I.
Due process and takings · passes
The resolution does not deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process, nor does it take private property for public use. It addresses the conduct of foreign military operations, which does not trigger Fifth Amendment procedural or substantive due process protections for individuals. No takings issue arises.
Provenance
- Congress.gov: SJRES 123 summary · fetched 2026-10-08 · official page ↗
Version history · never overwritten
| Grade | Graded | Rubric | Source hash | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A · #808 | 2026-10-13 | vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0 | 135763f08162 | current |
Cite this
Values for America. “Constitutional grade: S.J.Res. 123, A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against the Islamic Republic of Iran that have not been authorized by Congress..” VFA Constitution Index, grade 808 (rubric vfa-constitutional-grade/1.0), graded October 13, 2026. https://www.valuesforamerica.com/constitution-index/grades/808. Accessed 2026-10-19.
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