The House is expected to vote Thursday on a war powers resolution that would require Congressional approval before President Trump orders further military action against Iran, following U.S.-Israel strikes on the country. The bipartisan measure, sponsored by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, has support from Democrats and some Republicans, though House Speaker Mike Johnson is urging Republicans to vote against it. With a slim House majority, Johnson can afford to lose only one vote, and Trump retains veto power even if the resolution passes. Separately, an Iranian official has stated that Iran will not negotiate with the United States.
Congress is set to vote this week on bipartisan war powers resolutions in both the House and Senate that would require congressional approval before further U.S. military action in Iran, invoking the 1973 War Powers Resolution. The votes come after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks against Iran over the weekend, resulting in the first American casualties. The measures face significant obstacles, as most Republicans are expected to back Trump, and overriding a potential presidential veto would require a two-thirds majority in both chambers. Similar war powers efforts have previously failed, and passage remains uncertain, with some Democrats also signaling opposition to the resolutions.
Following U.S. strikes on Iran ordered by President Trump, Congressional Democrats and a small number of Republicans are demanding Congress reconvene immediately to hold a formal vote on the military action, arguing Trump acted illegally without congressional authorization. Votes already scheduled for midweek would require congressional approval for military action against Iran, with Republicans Thomas Massie, Rand Paul, and Warren Davidson joining Democrats in opposing the strikes as unconstitutional. Even if such a measure passes, it would face a likely presidential veto, requiring a two-thirds majority to override — making it more of a symbolic rebuke than a practical constraint on Trump's actions. The majority of Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have publicly praised the strikes.
The ABC is set to premiere a documentary special titled *Diabolical: The Epstein Files* on March 2 at 8:00pm on ABC TV and ABC iview. The program examines the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, described as a legal and political saga that shook the Trump administration and raised questions about equality before the law. The documentary explores what has been revealed through the Epstein files.
On Day 2 of a joint U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran, three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded, becoming the first U.S. casualties of the conflict, with casualties occurring among personnel based in Kuwait. President Trump stated the operation is proceeding "ahead of schedule" and is expected to take "four weeks or less," while acknowledging that more casualties are likely. Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in the initial strikes based on CIA intelligence, along with approximately 48 senior Iranian officials, prompting Iran to launch retaliatory missile and drone attacks across the Middle East targeting U.S. bases and regional allies. Iran has established an interim leadership council, while the conflict has expanded to include strikes on Saudi oil infrastructure, Hezbollah rocket fire from Lebanon, and Iranian attacks on countries including Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, and Oman.
Approximately 1,800 people gathered in Roxbury Township, New Jersey on February 28 to protest a new ICE detention and processing center being established in the area. The rally, organized by the No Ice North Jersey Alliance (Project NINJA) and the Sussex Visibility Brigade, took place across three locations near the 470,000-square-foot warehouse off Route 46 that the Department of Homeland Security purchased earlier this month for approximately $130 million. Speakers at the event included Democratic congressional candidate Analilia Mejia, and some protesters called for the resignation of Roxbury Township Attorney Anthony Bucco, who also serves as the state Republican senate minority leader.
ICE has been detaining hundreds of children and their parents at the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas, frequently holding them well beyond the 20-day limit established by a longstanding court order, with some children confined for more than 100 days. Families and advocates report serious concerns about conditions at the facility, including inadequate medical care, lights kept on around the clock, poor food quality, and severe mental health deterioration among children, including at least one reported suicide attempt by a 13-year-old girl. ICE and facility operator CoreCivic deny allegations of mistreatment, stating that detainees receive proper medical attention and appropriate services. The increased detentions come after the Trump administration reopened Dilley and eliminated a DHS oversight office responsible for monitoring conditions at family detention facilities.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) called on President Trump and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to testify before Congress about their relationships with Jeffrey Epstein, citing Bill Clinton's recent testimony before the House Oversight Committee as a precedent. Khanna stated he is working with a Republican colleague to subpoena Lutnick, with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) also expressing support for Lutnick's testimony. Newly released Justice Department files revealed emails showing a longer relationship between Lutnick and Epstein than previously known, including coordination for a trip to Epstein's private island, though Lutnick has denied any wrongdoing and said his family accompanied him on the visit. The White House responded by asserting Trump has been "totally exonerated" regarding Epstein and highlighted the administration's cooperation with document releases.
Representative Joaquin Castro spoke with CNN's Wolf Blitzer about the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict, arguing that Congress should not be kept "on the sidelines" during the crisis. Castro discussed the possibility of a vote on President Trump's war powers resolution, emphasizing the importance of congressional involvement in decisions related to military action against Iran.
The U.S. Justice Department has released photos of Jeffrey Epstein's Zorro Ranch in Santa Fe County, New Mexico, offering a rare look inside the secluded compound. Epstein purchased the property in 1993 from the family of former New Mexico Gov. Bruce King and constructed a 26,700-square-foot mansion, along with numerous other structures including a seven-bay garage, firehouse, lodge, airstrip, and shooting range. The released files also include a 2015 insurance risk assessment report and undated photos showing Epstein and others at the property, including near a vintage Santa Fe caboose he placed on or near state land he was leasing. Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges in July 2019 and died in jail the following August.
U.S. forces, in coordination with Israel, launched strikes against Iran in an operation called "Operation Epic Fury," with President Trump announcing the attacks via social media in the early hours of Saturday morning, citing the goal of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Trump later claimed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had been killed in the strikes. Democratic lawmakers responded by calling for an immediate congressional vote on a War Powers Resolution, arguing the strikes were unconstitutional and unauthorized by Congress, while Republican leaders largely expressed support for the action. Iran's Foreign Ministry condemned the attacks as illegal aggression, noting they occurred during ongoing diplomatic talks, and vowed a military response.
The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), established by Congress in 1986, has distributed over $5.2 billion to vaccine-injured claimants over 40 years while shielding vaccine manufacturers from frivolous litigation. Critics warn that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is considering adding autism-related claims to the program, despite scientific consensus that vaccines do not cause autism. A recent study estimates such claims could initially cost nearly $100 million, with annual awards potentially reaching $30 billion thereafter, threatening the program's solvency and delaying compensation for legitimate claimants. Opponents argue that dismantling VICP would shift cases to already overburdened civil courts, where trial lawyers typically collect 33% of judgments before plaintiffs receive any compensation.
