Congress weighs $200B Iran war spending request amid hurdles
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Last Thursday morning, a group of reporters and photographers followed House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, out of the Capitol and onto the Capitol grounds.
The Trump administration planned to ask Congress for an additional $200 billion to cover the cost of the war in Iran. Adopting such a plan could be risky. Especially overcoming the 60-vote barrier in the Senate. But House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. and Arrington has been touting a “compromise” bill for this year to approve some of the GOP’s domestic policy priorities ahead of the midterm. Compromise is grafted from the Senate’s filibuster. And other Republicans might be on board with an extra $200 billion if it’s included in a compromise package that addresses other issues.
“I think reconciliation is probably going to be the only tool we’re going to use because the Democrats aren’t going to support it,” Arrington said as he sped up a set of convention steps near the plaza to head toward Independence Boulevard. “I don’t think they would support additional support for our military’s operational needs while in combat.”
Yours truly “seems to suspect the Senate is trying to do this,” he said as reporters and photographers marched off the Capitol grounds toward the street.
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Regular traffic signals change regularly. Political signals don’t necessarily do the same thing. (Aaron Schwartz/AFP via Getty Images)
“The Senate will be skeptical and slow to motivate. So the House is a little engine that can do it. And when the little engine can do it, the Senate and other people will follow. The House should lead,” Arrington replied. “We spearheaded the first compromise bill. It wouldn’t have been as big or as good as it was if we hadn’t done our job on tax cuts, on spending cuts, on energy reforms, on intergenerational welfare reforms.”
The attack approached Independence Boulevard in the shadow of the Longworth House Office Building.
“I have to get through here. I’m late for a meeting. You can all follow me,” Arrington instructed the press, turning toward the crosswalk as the traffic light turned green.
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Three reporters followed the Texas Republican into the street. But your trusty journalist (and Wayne Elementary School Safety Town participant) remained in the corner.
Two cars and a bus accelerated.
“Wait! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful!” I shouted.
Arrington and the others ran toward the sidewalk.
“You see, you lead. They follow. But they might die,” Arrington said.
“Are you going to direct the Senate to a high-traffic crosswalk?” I asked.
As cars and scooters whizzed by, Arrington turned toward both the sidewalk and the politics.
Rep. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, says she thinks “reconciliation is probably going to be the only tool we’re going to put something into.” (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
“I think my colleague (Senate Budget Committee Chairman) Lindsey Graham, R.S.C., understands that a compromise bill will be the only train leaving the station for our military’s grander vision,” Arrington said.
It’s unclear whether Arrington’s switch to railroads and locomotives is the best rhetorical shift, given the close call on the street. But Arrington may be right. It will be difficult for the rest of this Congress to pass anything significant. And perhaps diverting the $200 billion earmarked for the war into a compromise measure with other policy sweeteners would be the most acceptable option for Republicans.
“We have to continue to look at balancing,” said Rep. Tony Wied, R-Wis.
“I think this needs to be balanced,” said Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.
“It’s expensive,” House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill., said of the spending request.
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But offsets are caused by interruptions. And lawmakers don’t like to cut programs that are important to their jurisdiction, state or district.
“Most of the VA stuff is like the third rail in politics. You don’t cut it,” Bost said.
What can contribute to balancing? Arrington suggested that Republicans should turn to Washington’s proven “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” law firm to reduce the cost of the war.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said “no” when asked about the additional spending request.
“The prices of everything are skyrocketing, and Congress hasn’t even passed it. And so to have the audacity to come to Congress to fund a war we didn’t even vote for — it’s not only illegal, it’s insulting,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said an emphatic “no” to the request for additional spending, saying “we cannot allow this type of reckless and illegal behavior.” (Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
I asked whether it was dangerous for lawmakers to leave American soldiers in the lurch when they were exposed to hostilities abroad.
“They should have thought about that before they got into a conflict without Congress,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “They told everyone it was just a quick in-and-out attack and now they find themselves in a disaster. And we cannot allow this kind of reckless and illegal behavior.”
Ocasio-Cortez points to Congress’ ultimate authority: the power of the purse. Lawmakers are tasked with approving 12 spending bills each year to run the government. A package of additional spending (for example, for war, terrorism, natural disaster relief, or economic stimulus) is the “13th” spending bill. This is above the usual 12. Lawmakers could actually prevent the war in Iran if they decided to withdraw funding.
The White House received nearly $1 trillion for the military from Congress in Fiscal Year 2026. President Trump’s yet-to-be-approved request from the Pentagon for Fiscal Year 2027 is $1.5 trillion. This is an increase of 50 percent. This particular request from Congress preceded the request for $200 billion for the war in Iran.
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The president has sent mixed signals about whether the war is “over.” A reporter asked President Trump if he still needed $200 billion.
“It’s always nice to have that. It’s a very hot world. And the Democrats are fueling it,” the president replied.
But it is generally believed that the Pentagon needs the money because a lot of munitions in Iran have been burned.
Therefore, this additional spending request should direct traffic in Congress.
Regular traffic and pedestrian signals change regularly. But they are not necessarily political signals. There’s no way right now that lawmakers will green light an extra $200 billion for war. This is because the “do not walk” light is flashing.
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The question now is how long will it take for the light to change? Or if it will happen constantly switch. Otherwise, Congressional leaders could table the bill and get run over by a political bus.
