Pro-Iran war legislation 2026 - 2022

• Legislation is “bipartisan,” lead by a Republican [R].

• The Heritage Foundation (project 25) and AIPAC are influencing his introduced legislation.

2026

March.................

Supporting the Alternate War Powers Resolution: one of six House Democrats to back an alternate war powers resolution giving Trump 30 Days from Feb 28, to halt U.S. military operations against Iran unless Congress authorizes a declaration of war or the use of military force. [The Hill]

February.................

H.R. 7622 Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act of 2026

Co-Sponsored: [R] Extends through 2030 and increases to $30 million the existing authorization for grants through the Open Technology Fund to promote secure internet access in Iran.

AIPAC Influenced

H.R. 1422 Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 [Passed House 3/2026]

Co-Sponsored: [R] tightens existing sanctions on Iran while providing new tools to increase enforcement

AIPAC Influenced

2025

June 20, 2025 US Middle East Delegation Trip

The N7 Initiative organized the first privately sponsored congressional delegation centered on the Abraham Accords. The delegation visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain to promote regional integration.

Atlantic Council

From that delegation trip disclosures vary sharply for Bahrain, Saudi trip Panetta and his wife, Carrie, who had a combined transportation cost of more than $69,000. Panetta's extraordinary total makes the trip the costliest in congressional history.

June 21, 2025 U.S. joined Israel with Strikes against Iran

April.................

H.R. 2614 Maximum Support Act

Introduced [R] written as the strategic framework for supporting regime change by empowering Iranians to overthrow their own government.

• Support Iranian opposition: establish programs to enable secure communications, protect dissidents, and offer incentives to government officials who back democratic regime change.

• Fund protests: seize Iranian government assets and redirect them to support dissident movements (e.g., strike funds).

• Define terrorist organizations: review whether the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) should be designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

• Promote opposition access: create an inter-agency task force to defeat censorship and provide secure internet tools (advanced VPNs, satellite-to-cell, eSIMs) and anti-surveillance/cybersecurity support for activists and journalists.
  

H.R. 2658 Free Iraq from Iran Act

Introduced [R] focuses on Inter-agency strategy development to counter Iranian influence in Iraq.

Heritage Foundation

• Dismantling Iran Militias: “irreversibly dismantle all Iran-backed puppet militias in Iraq,” including the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).

• Support Iraq Opposition: Iraqi people who desire to “liberate their country from the malign influence of Iran and its puppet militias” and to support democracy.

• Define Terrorist Organizations: designation of certain Iraqi entities as Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

• Impose Sanctions: prohibit the Government of Iraq or any private entity within Iraq from importing liquefied natural gas from the Government of Iran or any private entity within Iran.

February.................

H.R. 7622 Iran Human Rights, Internet Freedom, and Accountability Act of 2026

Co-Sponsored: [R] Extends through 2030 and increases to $30 million the existing authorization for grants through the Open Technology Fund to promote secure internet access in Iran.

AIPAC Influenced

H.R. 1422 Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 [Passed House 3/2026]

Co-Sponsored: [R] tightens existing sanctions on Iran while providing new tools to increase enforcement.

AIPAC Influenced

July.................

H.R. 1385 Strengthening Cooperation and Security in the Middle East Act.

Introduced [R] CSIPA, Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement, lays out the benefits and strategic foundation for improving joint military readiness with partners in the Middle East supporting rapid and effective responses following the Houthi attacks on merchant vessels the Red Sea that occurred since October 7, 2023.

2024

H.R. 9947 LINK the Abraham Accords Act

Introduced [R] the Learning Integrated National Knowledge Act became law to deepen military cooperation through this exchange program between the U.S. military and Abraham Accords nations to protect allies from unforeseen aggression from Iran and its military proxies. Heritage Foundation

2023

H.R. 6201 Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023

Introduced [R] the as a new avenue to ramp up sanctions by equipping Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) to enforce oil sanctions.

2022

H.R.7987 DEFEND Act of 2022

Introduced to strengthen the U.S.-Israel alliance, by integrating Israeli and regional air defenses against Iranian threats. Wagner lists organizations behind this Act

Introduced with AIPAC

House kills effort to release all congressional sexual misconduct and harassment reports

H.Res.1100

March 2026: Voted to refer legislation to the Ethics Committee, rather than move to publicly release congressional sexual harassment allegations.

Military & Enforcement

Jimmy Panetta's legislation focuses on recruitment, enforcement, and increasing coordinated, centralized, efforts between federal and local agencies.

2025

February

H.R.1284 Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2025

Introduced: to increase civil penalties for enforcement with respect to, customs fraud, and for other purposes.

H.R. 1268 Extending Limits of U.S. Customs Waters Act

Introduced: to expand the Department of Homeland Security’s maritime U.S. Customs and Border Patrol’s (CBP) jurisdiction doubles range from 12 to 24 nautical miles offshore. It will increase prosecution of those who are attempting to bring illegal cargo into the nation. “the territorial sea of the United States” Supported by Rick Scott

• ICYMI: December 2023: The United States successfully claimed an additional one million square kilometers beneath the ocean NOAA earth.com

April

H.R.3107 SERVE Act: Service Enlistment and Recruitment of Valuable Engagement Act

Introduced: enhance military recruitment by improving access to student directory information

H.R.2711 “Invest to Protect Act”

Introduced: A grant program authorized for up to $50 million per fiscal year to improve the retention, training and recruitment of local law enforcement officers. Includes provisions for retention and signing bonuses.

May

H. R. 3408 “Pathway to Policing Act”

Introduced: to put into law a grant program of $50,000,000 in federal grants for recruiting and encouraging candidates to seek careers in law enforcement. Prioritizing underrepresented communities.

June

H.R. ES 481: Voted in favor: expressing gratitude to ICE.

(2) "affirms that free and open communication between State and local law enforcement and their federal counterparts remains the bedrock of public safety and is necessary in preventing terrorist attacks; and expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland."

(3) expresses gratitude to law enforcement officers, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel, for protecting the homeland.

September

H. R. 2781 ENLIST Act: Engaging Next-generation Leaders in Information about Service and Training Act

Co-Authored: Bringing recruiting to schools. This initiative reflects a commitment to ensuring that students are fully informed about all potential career paths, including military service.

November

H.R.5973 Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act of 2025

Co-Sponsored: providing a framework for use of non-lethal force, encourages enforcement personnel to persist in arrest attempts, asserting that federal immigration enforcement officers are not required to retreat or cease their efforts due to any resistance or potential resistance from the individual being arrested.

December

H.R. 8596 MAIL Theft Act: Maximizing Agency Integration on Letter Theft Act

Re-Introduced: requiring federal agencies to work with state and local law enforcement, the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and the United States Postal Inspection Service to develop a strategy to improve Federal investigations of organized postal theft, and for other purposes.

H.R.6651 Organized Retail Crime Act

Introduced to streamline how agencies coordinate for federal, state, and local law enforcement. Rep. Young Kim Leads Bill

H.R.6666 HIRRE Prosecutors Act of 2025

Introduced: to Invest $10 million per year in a grant program expanding prosecutorial resources and increasing federal involvement in state/local law enforcement.

Press Release: Defense priorities for California’s 19th Congressional District “California’s 19th Congressional District has long been a defense hub” - Jimmy Panetta

Secured several defense priorities for California’s 19th Congressional District in the FY2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The bill was signed by the President into law yesterday.

• Authorizes more than $19.7 billion for military construction projects.

• $1.5 billion for new construction of quality-of-life infrastructure

• $254 million in design funds to expedite future new construction

2024

April

H.Amdt.876 Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA)

This law allows authorized US officials to gather phone calls and text messages of Americans.

Voted against an amendment to prevent foreign intelligence warrantless searches on Americans. This failed because of a tied vote.

2023

HR 1718 “AI for National Security”

Co-sponsored: focuses on enabling the Department of Defense (DOD) to use AI-based security tools for devices that often lack internet access. These tools learn a device's behavior, allowing the AI to detect and block unusual actions instead of relying on known threats. AI can be tricked into missing threats if its training data is compromised