Dems: We will not approve one more cent for this war

Progressive Democrats lambasted additional funding for the U.S. war on Iran at a presser Wednesday.

“We can, in fact, ensure that this Congress doesn't send not one more dollar for a war with Iran,” Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) said at the event, which was hosted by Win Without War, and memorialized the children killed in a likely U.S. attack on a school in Minab, Iran. “From Venezuela to Chicago, our dollars are advancing the pain and suffering of our global neighbors. And we here today are saying enough, because we are tired of attacks on our communities, and we are sick and tired of endless wars.”

Lawmakers rejected a possible $50 billion supplemental funding request being considered, to help the U.S. pay for its war. (Update: Following the presser, the Washington Post now reports the Pentagon has requested the White House ask lawmakers to approve a $200 billion supplemental.) The Pentagon estimates the first week of the war alone cost about $11 billion. Several said their opposition was linked to the fact that there had been no approval by Congress to go to war.

At least two war powers bills — those introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in the Senate, and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) in the House — have been rejected since the war in Iran was launched on Feb. 28. Several more are expected to come up for votes in the Senate and House as early as tonight (Update: A War Powers Act resolution sponsored by Sen.Cory Booker, D-N.J., was rejected late Wednesday, in a 47-53 vote).

“The only sustainable path to security is through diplomacy. So I won't support another penny for this war, and I will vote against any defense supplemental package,” Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said. “Every dollar Congress spends on this war without ever authorizing it, tells this President and every future president that they can drag this country into any conflict they want.”

“The war-echo chamber is already doing its thing. It's already parroting the neocon talking points that a vote for this defense supplemental is a vote to support our troops. Well, as the representative of our country's biggest military community, I can tell you: that's bullshit,” Rep. Jacobs stressed. “This reckless war in Iran has no benefits. It's costing our country billions of dollars, costing American and Iranian lives, while failing to make anyone any safer…That's why I hope that all of my colleagues will come together, reject any defense supplemental package and work with us to end this reckless war now, before more lives are lost.”

RS asked other lawmakers what might happen if Republicans put sweeteners in a supplemental bill to get Democrats over to their side, such as possible Ukraine assistance.

Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) stressed to RS there was no case where he would support a supplemental. “This is an illegal war, okay? So no, I don't want to,” he said.

“We should have a vote — up or down — on whether or not we're going to keep providing American taxpayer dollars to fuel the war, and we should have a hard no on that,” Sen. Van Hollen told RS. “No, we should not vote for any additional money to perpetuate [this] illegal war of choice.”

Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) told RS that if he were to vote for a supplemental, the administration would have to fully justify the war to lawmakers, and explain why more funds would be needed.

“I oppose any supplemental at this juncture — until we have a full explanation in terms of what justifies this war. If such an argument is to be advanced, the President needs to come before Congress and inform us of actions already taken, the expenditures incurred, and what the exit strategy, what the plans are for bringing this to finality,” Rep. Garcia told RS. “I want to know what we've spent funding on, thus far [during the war] and what the rationale for any additional spending might be.”

Rep. Garcia also condemned the Pentagon’s runaway spending — and Trump has proposed a $1.5 trillion defense budget for next year — to date.

“The cost that we are bearing has got to be astronomical already,” he said. “I voted against the military budget when it came before us. I was totally opposed to the announcement…to seek an increase of the military budget to $1.5 trillion. It was bad enough that we surpassed the $1 trillion dollar mark; now [for the Trump administration] to come before us asking for a supplemental or to increase the military budget makes no sense.”

An advocate who engages lawmakers on issues related to the war told RS that the war powers resolutions are unlikely to pass, but they work to keep the issue in the spotlight while increasing the administration’s political costs for continuing the war.

Although the war powers resolutions may not advance, it is clear from today’s press conference that any war supplemental will face significant hurdles. Republicans have floated putting that supplemental into a reconciliation package later this year; President Trump previously ruled one out in February.