House Republicans Wrap Up Session with War Spending Bill and Voting Restrictions Ahead of Summer Recess
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In their final week before a five-week recess, House Republicans passed a $95 billion Iran war-funding plan and a defense budget tied to voting-rule changes, while facing dissent from within their ranks and opposition in the Senate.
House Republicans approved a $95 billion budget proposal that earmarks funds for what Rep. Jodey Arrington described as "baseline battlefield readiness" in the conflict with Iran, avoiding direct references to the war itself. The measure passed along party lines during the final week before a summer recess, alongside a larger defense spending bill and a set of voting-restriction provisions.
Speaker Mike Johnson said the votes demonstrated that major legislation could be enacted in an election year, noting, "We just proved you wrong." However, the next day four Republican lawmakers joined Democrats to pass a symbolic resolution urging President Trump to withdraw troops from Iran, a move Johnson called an "embarrassing defeat."
In the Senate, Republican leader John Thune placed the House budget plan on hold, signaling that the final funding level for the Iran operation may remain unresolved until September. The Senate also delayed the National Defense Authorization Act, citing concerns over its $1.15 trillion cost and the inclusion of the Save America Act, which would restrict mail-in voting and tighten voter-ID requirements.
Republican campaign officials highlighted redistricting gains and argued that Democrats would need to win a large number of seats held by former Trump supporters to regain a majority. Some GOP members, such as Rep. Don Bacon, warned that a unilateral approach to the Iran conflict could be counterproductive and called for more bipartisan cooperation.
Democrats, meanwhile, pointed to economic pressures on voters and emphasized internal debates within their party ahead of the midterm elections. Progressive leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the party’s active primary process reflects deeper policy discussions beyond simple partisan labels.