CNN’s Michael Smerconish urged Congress to formally authorize President Donald Trump’s ongoing war with Iran during his show Saturday, arguing lawmakers must stop delaying a clear vote as the statutory deadline under the War Powers Resolution approaches.

“The core question is simple: do you believe it’s essential that Iran not acquire a nuclear weapon?” Smerconish said at the top of the segment.

Congress faces an April 28 deadline when the War Powers Resolution requires both chambers to authorize or block the use of force.

Smerconish made his remarks more than 40 days after U.S. military action against Iran began following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes that escalated the conflict.

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“If that answer is yes, and I believe the answer is obviously yes, then authorize the military action necessary to achieve that specific objective,” the CNN host said.

Smerconish argued that a narrowly tailored authorization would clarify both legal authority and political accountability as the conflict continues.

“An authorization scoped to Iran’s nuclear program gives the president the legal authority that he needs, gives Congress the accountability it owes to the American people, and gives Iran no clock to run out,” he said.

He dismissed ongoing procedural maneuvering in Congress, calling on lawmakers, particularly Democrats, to take a definitive stance.

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“Stop using the War Powers deadline as cover for indecision,” Smerconish said.

He sharpened that critique by targeting what he described as performative legislative activity. “Democrats, daily procedural votes are not a strategy, they’re a press release,” he said.

Smerconish framed the debate as one that should transcend partisan calculations about Trump himself. “If you believe the war is wrong, then vote to end it,” he said. “If you believe Iran must not go nuclear, then say so and authorize it,” he added.

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He warned against filtering national security decisions through political considerations. “Don’t evaluate the decision based on what’s best for Trump. Our only prism is what’s best for America,” Smerconish said.

Under the War Powers Resolution, presidents can deploy U.S. forces without formal congressional authorization for up to 60 days, after which continued military engagement typically requires approval from Congress.

That deadline is placing increased pressure on lawmakers to either authorize or restrict the ongoing operation.

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U.S. Central Command said U.S. forces had begun a mine-clearance mission in the Strait of Hormuz, with Navy destroyers operating to “set conditions for clearing mines” there in a press release on April 11.

That followed an earlier statement from the White House saying Iran had agreed to a ceasefire and the “reopening the Strait of Hormuz” as the administration pursued a broader peace agreement, underscoring how central the waterway remains to the wider conflict.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., warned Sunday that “something sinister could be happening” after 11 scientists mainly tied to the U.S. nuclear and space research programs reportedly died or went missing under mysterious circumstances, raising urgent national security concerns.

Comer said on “Fox & Friends Weekend” that when he first heard about the disappearances, they sounded like “some kind of crazy conspiracy theory.” But the details of the case changed his mind and prompted him to alert multiple government agencies.

“We’ve put a notice out to the Department of War, to the FBI, to NASA, to the Department of Energy, that we want to know everything that they know about what happened with these scientists, because those four agencies were predominantly the agencies that those 11 individuals were affiliated with. And we want to try to piece this together.”

Comer plans to bring the leaders of these offices before Congress, but said he sent the letters first to allow them time to ensure their testimony would not compromise any potentially classified investigations.

He said he hoped anyone with information would bring it to the Oversight Committee, and that anyone affiliated with America’s nuclear program should be on alert, given the possible security risks to the nation.

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“We know there are many countries around the world that would love to have our knowledge and nuclear capabilities. And these are the people that were at the forefront of it, and they’re either dead or missing.”

Missing or deceased figures include experimental propulsion researcher Amy Eskridge, 34; retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William “Neil” McCasland, 68; NASA scientist Monica Jacinto Reza, 60; contractor Steven Garcia, 48; astrophysicist Carl Grillmair, 47; Massachusetts Institute of Technology physicist Nuno Loureiro, 47; NASA engineer Frank Maiwald, 61; Los Alamos–linked employees Melissa Casias, 53, and Anthony Chavez, 79; NASA researcher Michael David Hicks, 59; and pharmaceutical scientist Jason Thomas, 45.

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In response to the renewed public attention, President Donald Trump has vowed to investigate the mysterious disappearances and deaths of these scientists.

“I hope it’s random, but we’re going to know in the next week and a half,” Trump told reporters Thursday. “I just left a meeting on that subject.”

Additionally, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) previously told Fox News Digital it is looking into the cases.

“NNSA is aware of reports related to employees of our labs, plants, and sites and is looking into the matter.”

A woman who got a dog to support her through a breast cancer diagnosis was later shocked when the pet was diagnosed with the same disease years later.

Vickie Doogan, 52, from England, said her dog Dolly, a poochon, became her constant companion during recovery from her second cancer diagnosis, news agency SWNS reported.

Doogan was first diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39 after noticing a dull pain and a lump under her arm, which doctors later confirmed was invasive breast cancer that had spread.

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She underwent chemotherapy, surgery and radiation and was eventually declared cancer-free following an intensive course of treatment.

At 44, she was diagnosed again and underwent another round of treatment before opting for a double mastectomy after learning she carried a BRCA2 gene mutation, which increases the risk of breast cancer.

She got Dolly in 2018 while recovering at home, saying the dog provided comfort and companionship during a difficult period in her life.

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“She’s like my shadow,” Doogan said. “She’s the most perfect little dog.”

In February 2026, Doogan took Dolly to the vet for what she believed was an upset stomach, where a lump was unexpectedly discovered under one of the dog’s nipples.

“The vet said she needed to have a mastectomy. I was so shocked,” Doogan said. “I didn’t even know dogs could have mastectomies.”

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Dolly underwent surgery to remove the cancer, which was determined to be low-grade and did not require additional treatment, allowing her to recover relatively quickly.

“She bounced back just as well as I did,” Doogan said. “People said it’s like she’s mirroring how I dealt with it.”

Both Doogan and her dog are now cancer-free and focusing on moving forward after their shared experiences with the disease, SWNS noted.

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Doogan said she hopes their story offers encouragement to others facing a diagnosis and shows that recovery is possible.

“When I was first diagnosed, I was absolutely floored,” she said. “Chemo was brutal, but thankfully I responded well.”

“Now I’m living my best life again,” she added. “I want people to know that although breast cancer is scary, you can still live a really full life.”