House Republicans advance $95bn bill to fund Iran war and aid farmers
The US House of Representatives narrowly approved a budget resolution on Wednesday that sets the stage for a $95 billion reconciliation bill funding the war with Iran and providing farmer aid, while attempting to impose new voting restrictions.
House Republicans on Wednesday passed a budget resolution by a vote of 216-214 along party lines, paving the way for a reconciliation bill that can bypass a Democratic filibuster in the Senate. Two Republicans, one independent who caucuses with the GOP, and all Democrats opposed the measure.
The resolution comes as the conflict with Iran escalates. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told the Senate on Tuesday that the war has cost $37.5 billion so far. The Trump administration previously requested about $88 billion in supplemental funding, with up to $67.1 billion designated for the war effort.
The budget resolution authorizes the Armed Services Committee to propose $60 billion in spending through fiscal 2036 and the Intelligence Committee an additional $13 billion – a total of $73 billion expected to fund military operations against Iran. The Agriculture Committee is allocated $12 billion in spending changes to assist farmers affected by the global repercussions of the Iran conflict and Trump's tariff policies. The House Administration Committee, which oversees federal elections, is authorized to propose $10 billion in spending, likely to attempt enactment of the Save America Act, which would ban mail-in ballots nationwide and require strict voter ID. However, reconciliation rules in the Senate only permit spending, revenue, and debt limit changes, so policy provisions are expected to be stripped.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the goal is to pass as much of the Save America Act as possible. Democrats criticized the plan, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries accusing Republicans of indifference to Americans' economic well-being and pursuing a reckless war of choice.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated he would hold the measure in case government funding negotiations break down before the September 30 deadline. Some Senate Republicans oppose the resolution because it does not reach the $1.5 trillion defense spending level requested by the Trump administration for fiscal 2027, and it lacks offsets for new spending amid rising national debt.
