Washington — The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a GOP-backed budget bill that would provide up to $95 billion in funding for the war in Iran, aid for farmers and part of President Trump’s voting rules bill known as the Save America Act.
The House passed the budget resolution by a vote of 216 to 214, with all Democrats, two Republicans and one independent who caucuses with Republicans voting no.
It is the latest effort by Republicans to implement Mr. Trump’s top priorities as the bipartisan appropriations process collapses. Democrats remain adamantly opposed to continuing the war in Iran, as well as strict new voting requirements championed by the president.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, called it the GOP’s “best chance” to pass as much of the Save America Act into law as possible.
Wednesday’s vote is just the first step in a process of reconciling party lines. The Senate also needs to approve a resolution that directs jurisdictional committees to begin developing a $95 billion reconciliation package. The package will then need to clean both chambers. Republicans have chosen the reconciliation route, which they have also used to cut taxes and immigration controls, because it allows them to overcome opposition from Senate Democrats and approve the funding with a simple majority.
The resolution directs the House Armed Services Committee and the House Intelligence Committee to develop legislation that would increase spending by $60 billion and $13 billion, respectively. The House Agriculture Committee received a $12 billion limit, and the House Administration Committee received a $10 billion limit.
The plan faces serious obstacles in the upper chamber, where the American Rescue Act has been stalled for months and lacks even simple majority support. It is also unclear whether provisions on voting rules, such as requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote and a photo ID to vote, will remain in effect under Senate rules governing the reconciliation process, which prohibit the inclusion of off-budget measures. Financing a war with Iran may also face obstacles. Several Republican senators have voted in recent months to rein in Trump on Iran as the war continues without congressional authorization.
The plan also does not include provisions to offset the increased spending, which has upset some House conservatives.
“I think the problem is there is no plan to pay for this,” GOP Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio said last week before House Republicans met with Vice President J.D. Vance, who came to the Capitol to rally members behind the plan. “The non-compensation plan is dead on arrival.”
On Monday, Trump called on House Republicans to unite behind the budget resolution and “fight” for the American Rescue Act. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought met with House Republicans Tuesday morning as the administration worked to see the resolution through.