House Republicans Push $95 Billion Package for Iran War, Corporate Farm Aid, and Voter Suppression
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In a move prioritizing military escalation, corporate agriculture, and voter suppression, House Republicans on the Budget Committee advanced a $95 billion package with a 20-14 vote, ignoring Democratic opposition and public needs.
On Thursday, Republicans on the House Budget Committee forced through a $95 billion reconciliation package with a 20-14 vote, continuing their agenda of militarism, corporate handouts, and attacks on voting rights. The proposal outrageously allocates approximately $60 billion to fuel the disastrous war in Iran, $13 billion to intelligence agencies, $12 billion to big agriculture, and $10 billion to further restrict access to the ballot box through stricter voter-ID laws, a pet project of President Trump notorious for disenfranchising marginalized communities.
Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, attempted to justify the measure as a response to voters ahead of the midterms, stating, "We are rallying to finish what we started when the American people sent us here." He glossed over the deep controversy surrounding the Iran conflict, instead framing the massive military funding as 'basic battlefield supplies.'
This marks the third time this Congress that Republicans have abused the reconciliation process to ram through Trump-aligned priorities without bipartisan consensus. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been orchestrating this undemocratic push, even holding secretive meetings at Camp David, despite lacking full support from his own party and facing serious doubts in the Senate.
Democrats on the committee stood firmly against the plan, highlighting its complete disregard for affordability and its reckless addition to the national debt. Ranking Democrat Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-Pennsylvania, condemned the package for ignoring the real cost-of-living crisis faced by working families. Other Democrats fought to restore desperately needed healthcare funding, food-stamp assistance, and resources for humane immigration enforcement, all of which Republicans rejected.
The Senate has yet to consider this dangerous proposal, with Majority Leader John Thune acknowledging widespread concerns about runaway defense spending and ballooning deficits. The House plans to let committees draft the bill text during the August recess, with a final vote expected in the fall—a timeline that gives the public little chance to intervene.