The House on Wednesday approved a $95 billion budget proposal to fund the war in Iran and other Trump administration priorities.
Republicans narrowly got the package passed with a 216-214 vote with every Democrat voting against it. Thomas Massie and Warren Davidson, two Republicans also voted against the proposal. Independent Kevin Kiley, who caucuses with the Republicans voted with the Democrats as well.
The amount falls far short of the $350 billion that the administration had initially requested proposed to shore up defense supplies. It’s also less than the $200 billion that the Department of Defense requested back in March.
Besides funding for the operation in Iran, the package also includes other provisions for priorities set my Trump relating to domestic aid and elections.
The proposal includes $12 billion in relief for farmer who have been affected by tariffs that Trump has enacted during his second term. The money is specifically allocated for row crops, specialty crops, and sawmills facing high costs and market pressure.
The American Farm Bureau applauded the provision as an acknowledgement of the economic toll facing farm country. However, the National Farmers Union warned that continuing to fund the war could hurt farms.
“We are troubled by funding that perpetuates a costly military conflict that risks further disrupting global markets, increasing input costs, and contributing to the economic pressures already weighing on farm operations,” the group stated in the letter obtained by DTN. “Farmers should not have to bear the financial consequences of policies that further erode their bottom lines,” it said.
A third provision allocated $10 billion towards voter registration law changes and proof of citizenship under the SAVE America Act. The passage of this act has been one of Trump’s top priorities, as the country has less than 100 days until the midterm elections and a surprising number of progressive candidates have successfully gotten through their states’ primaries.
Trump has tried to hammer his will for the SAVE America Act into Republicans, but the bill still lacks the 60 votes it would need to pass the Senate. Some Republicans are trying to get parts of it through the reconciliation process that allows a bill to be passed with a simple majority.
Vice President J.D. Vance met with House Republicans and said that he wanted to united them to get “one very big thing” accomplished.
“We’ve got a good piece of legislation to support the troops, support the farmers and get the SAVE America Act passed,” he said.
Despite the farm aid provisions, Democrats are expected to withhold support from the bill and force the Republicans to take votes on several amendments.
Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania serves at the lead Democrat on the House Budget Committee and said that the package would add tens of billions of dollars in additional debt to fund “endless wars overseas.”
The resolution will now go to the Senate where its fate is up in the air, as many Republicans in the Senate are dubious about continued funding of the war and the inclusion of election-related procurements under reconciliation rules.
