Donald Trump · Republicans · Iran · US Senate · Fortune Technology
There are steps Senate Republicans can take to buy themselves more time
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◎ Multiple-sources
There are fewer than 30 scheduled sessions between now and the midterms with an August recess eliminating an entire month of time in Washington.
Key facts
- The Iran war has, by some estimations, already cost the U.S. $113 billion, with some public policy experts expecting the total cost north of $1 trillion
- The Senate Appropriations Committee has not passed a spending bill for the 2027 fiscal year, which includes a $1.15 trillion base for defense outlays
- Given how much of an uphill battle it was to get reconciliation 1.0, and then you have all of the further dynamics that complicated reconciliation 2.0—you could kind of see that writing
- Legislators are racing against a Sept. 30 deadline, which marks the end of the fiscal year, when funding lapses
Summary
The absence of two key Senate Republicans has complicated the Trump administration’s ambitions to pass budget appropriations and increase defense spending, particularly as the war in Iran escalates and key midterm elections approach. Mitch McConnell broke his weeks-long silence about his health, announcing he was hospitalized after a fall and was also treated for pneumonia. To be sure, Graham’s sister Darline Graham Nordone will take the place of her brother in the Senate on Wednesday and serve the rest of his term, eliminating some uncertainty around the impact of his absence. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not passed a spending bill for the 2027 fiscal year, which includes a $1.15 trillion base for defense outlays. Increasing defense spending has been a cornerstone of the Trump administration, even beyond efforts to bolster the U.S. military with the likes of a “Golden Dome” missile shield and investment in critical minerals.