House Democrats Introduce Bill to Block Iran War Funding

A coalition of House Democrats introduced legislation on Tuesday that would prohibit additional federal funding for military action against Iran unless Congress formally authorizes the conflict through an authorization for the use of military force, or a declaration of war.

The legislation, titled the “No Funds for Iran War Act,” is backed by 18 Democratic House lawmakers, including multiple military veterans and ranking members on the chamber’s House Armed Services, Foreign Affairs and Intelligence committees. The bill comes forward as the military operation in Iran, that began with strikes by the United States and Israel on Feb. 28, surpassed its 60-day mark and the Trump administration has expressed no willingness to seek legislative approval of continued warfare.

The legislation would prohibit the use of additional taxpayer funding for military operations against Iran unless Congress authorizes the action.

The bill’s supporters include the following House representatives:

• Adam Smith (D-WA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee
• Gregory Meeks (D-NY), ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
• Jim Himes (D-CT), ranking member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence
• Pat Ryan (D-NY)
• Chris Deluzio (D-PA)
• Ted Lieu (D-CA)
• Jason Crow (D-CO)
• Seth Moulton (D-MA)
• Salud Carbajal (D-CA)
• Yevgeny “Eugene” Vindman (D-VA)
• Derek Tran (D-CA)
• Jimmy Panetta (D-CA)
• Maggie Goodlander (D-NH)
• Herb Conaway (D-NJ)
• Gil Cisneros (D-CA)
• Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)
• Mike Thompson (D-CA)
• Bobby Scott (D-VA)

Bill Centers on Congressional War Powers

Supporters of the bill argue that Congress, not the president, holds constitutional authority to declare war and appropriate federal funding. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war, raise and support armies, and provide funding for military operations.

“We are a nation of laws, and the Constitution gives the American People and the Congress—not the president—the power to spend public money,” Rep. Deluzio said in a statement shared with Military.com, framing the legislation as a constitutional fight over Congress’ authority to authorize and fund military action.

Rep. Smith said Congress must “exercise its constitutional power of the purse” in response to what he described as an unauthorized conflict, while Rep. Himes argued Congress remains “the final authority on our long-term military action overseas” because it controls appropriations.

Rep. Meeks emphasized what supporters of the legislation view as the constitutional and financial stakes of the conflict, stating that “Trump’s Iran war was never authorized by Congress, and no funds appropriated by Congress should be spent on this illegal conflict.”

The legislation also reflects ongoing disputes over the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which generally requires presidents to notify Congress after introducing U.S. forces into hostilities and limits unauthorized military action to 60 days absent congressional approval. That deadline has passed with no intent by President Donald Trump to seek that required authorization.

Lawmakers Cite Cost of Conflict

Democrats backing the legislation said the Iran conflict has already cost tens of billions of dollars and resulted in the deaths of at least 13 U.S. service members, while hundreds more have reportedly been wounded.

According to the digital Iran Cost Tracker website, the war has already cost the United States upwards of $72 billion. They took the Pentagon’s figure of $11.6 billion for the operation’s first six days, then added $1 billion per day on top of that.

The lawmakers also cited rising domestic fuel and consumer costs as a consequence of the conflict. Rep. Ryan said the military campaign had “sent gas prices skyrocketing here at home.”

The Pentagon recently requested approximately $1.5 trillion for its Fiscal Year 2027 defense budget, excluding a reported supplemental Iran war funding request of $200 billion.

The legislation’s supporters also referenced public polling showing opposition to military action against Iran. A poll cited in the release found that 61% of Americans believed the use of military force against Iran was a mistake.

Congress’ Previous Efforts Fell Short

This is not the first time Congress has attempted to restrict military action against Iran through funding limitations or War Powers legislation.

Similar efforts emerged in 2019 after tensions between the U.S. and Iran sharply escalated following attacks on commercial oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, the downing of a U.S. surveillance drone by Iran, and reports that Trump had approved and then canceled retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian targets.

Credit: AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib

In June 2019, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-NM) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would have prohibited funding for military hostilities against Iran unless Congress specifically authorized the action.

The following month, the House approved a bipartisan amendment from Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), prohibiting federal funds from being used for military force against Iran unless Congress authorized the action.

Congress pursued additional restrictions after the January 2020 U.S. strike that killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad and raised concerns about a broader regional war. In response, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced a War Powers Resolution directing the president to terminate military hostilities against Iran unless Congress approves further military action. Trump later vetoed the measure.

The bill faces uncertain prospects in Congress, where lawmakers in both parties remain divided over the administration’s military operations against Iran and over how aggressively Congress should assert its war powers authority.