War Powers Resolution
Public Law 93-148 · H.J.Res. 542 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Vetoed by Richard Nixon (R); passed over the veto on Nov 7, 1973 · Armed Forces and National Security
Major lawVeto override
Sponsor: Rep. Clement Zablocki (D-WI-4)
Cosponsors (14): Rep. Lawrence Fountain, Rep. Donald Fraser,
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 238 yea, 123 nay238–123
- SenateRecorded vote: 75 yea, 20 nay75–20
Veto override votes
- HouseNeeds two-thirds: 284 yea, 135 nay284–135
- SenateNeeds two-thirds: 75 yea, 18 nay75–18
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
War Power Resolution - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to fulfill the intent of the framers of the Constitution of the United States and insure that the collective judgment of both the Congress and the President will apply to the introduction of the Armed Forces of the United States in hostilities, or in situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and to the continued use of such forces in hostilities.
Requires that the President shall in every possible instance consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement is clearly indicated by the circumstances.
Provides that in the absence of a declaration of war by the Congress, in any case in which the Armed Forces of the United States are introduced in hostilities, or in situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, such use of the Armed Forces of the United States in hostilities pursuant to this Act shall be reported within 48 hours in writing by the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate, together with a full account of the circumstances under which such hostilities were initiated, the estimated scope and duration of such hostilities, and the constitutional and legislative authority under which the introduction of hostilities took place.
Provides that nothing in this Act is intended to alter the provisions of existing treaties.
Sets forth the criteria for Congressional consideration of joint resolutions and concurrent resolutions introduced pursuant to this Act.
Provides that this Act shall take effect on the date of its enactment.
Who voted for it
Every senator of the 93rd Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 76 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
76 yea21 nay3 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(48)
- Sen. Mike MansfieldD-MT
- Sen. William ProxmireD-WI
- Sen. George McGovernD-SD
- Sen. Dick ClarkD-IA
- Sen. Lee MetcalfD-MT
- Sen. Frank ChurchD-ID
- Sen. William HathawayD-ME
- Sen. Philip HartD-MI
Sen. Ted KennedyD-MA- Sen. James FulbrightD-AR
Sen. Joseph BidenD-DE- Sen. Floyd HaskellD-CO
- Sen. Walter MondaleD-MN
- Sen. Quentin BurdickD-ND
- Sen. Birch BayhD-IN
- Sen. Stuart SymingtonD-MO
- Sen. Adlai StevensonD-IL
- Sen. Edmund MuskieD-ME
- Sen. Dee HuddlestonD-KY
- Sen. Alan CranstonD-CA
- Sen. Harrison WilliamsD-NJ
- Sen. Frank MossD-UT
- Sen. Abraham RibicoffD-CT
- Sen. Hubert HumphreyD-MN
- Sen. Claiborne PellD-RI
- Sen. Mike GravelD-AK
- Sen. Warren MagnusonD-WA
- Sen. Lawton ChilesD-FL
Sen. Robert ByrdD-WV- Sen. Joseph MontoyaD-NM
- Sen. John PastoreD-RI
- Sen. Alan BibleD-NV
- Sen. Jennings RandolphD-WV
- Sen. Thomas McIntyreD-NH
Sen. Daniel InouyeD-HI- Sen. Fritz HollingsD-SC
- Sen. Howard CannonD-NV
- Sen. Scoop JacksonD-WA
- Sen. Russell LongD-LA
- Sen. Lloyd BentsenD-TX
- Sen. John JohnstonD-LA
- Sen. Gale McGeeD-WY
- Sen. Samuel NunnD-GA
- Sen. Herman TalmadgeD-GA
- Sen. John SparkmanD-AL
- Sen. John McClellanD-AR
- Sen. John StennisD-MS
- Sen. Harry ByrdD-VA
Republicans who voted yea(28)
- Sen. Clifford CaseR-NJ
- Sen. Richard SchweikerR-PA
- Sen. Edward BrookeR-MA
- Sen. Jacob JavitsR-NY
- Sen. Charles MathiasR-MD
- Sen. Mark HatfieldR-OR
- Sen. Robert StaffordR-VT
- Sen. James PearsonR-KS
- Sen. Charles PercyR-IL
- Sen. Lowell WeickerR-CT
- Sen. Robert PackwoodR-OR
- Sen. Milton YoungR-ND
- Sen. George AikenR-VT
Sen. Ted StevensR-AK- Sen. Marlow CookR-KY
- Sen. John BeallR-MD
- Sen. Hugh ScottR-PA
Sen. Pete DomeniciR-NM- Sen. Hiram FongR-HI
- Sen. Robert DoleR-KS
- Sen. Robert TaftR-OH
- Sen. William RothR-DE
- Sen. Henry BellmonR-OK
- Sen. William BrockR-TN
- Sen. James McClureR-ID
- Sen. Dewey BartlettR-OK
- Sen. William ScottR-VA
- Sen. John TowerR-TX
Data notes
The Senate’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 451 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to the override, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 20 actions.
- Nov 7, 1973VetoVeto · Motion to override veto passed Senate, roll call #478 (75-18).Senate roll call 478
- VetoVeto · Passed Senate over veto: Motion to override veto passed Senate, roll call #478 (75-18).Senate roll call 478
- VetoVeto · Motion to override veto passed House, roll call #563 (284-135).House roll call 563
- VetoVeto · Passed House over veto: Motion to override veto passed House, roll call #563 (284-135).House roll call 563
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-148.
- Oct 24, 1973PresidentPresident · Vetoed by President, H. Doc. 93-171.
- Oct 12, 1973PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to conference report, roll call #520 (238-123).House roll call 520
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House agreed to conference report, roll call #520 (238-123).House roll call 520
- Oct 10, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #465 (75-20).Senate roll call 465
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report, roll call #465 (75-20).Senate roll call 465
- Oct 4, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-547.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference report filed in House, H. Rept. 93-547.
- Jul 31, 1973Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference scheduled in House.
- Jul 20, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Jul 18, 1973FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #352 (244-170).House roll call 352
- Jun 15, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Foreign Affairs Committee
- May 3, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Foreign Affairs Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.