Congress braces for a $50 billion emergency war funding request

Lawmakers expect a big ask soon

After classified briefings on March 4, lawmakers from both parties said they expect the Trump administration to ask Congress for emergency funding to keep Operation Epic Fury going in Iran.

Top officials, including the defense secretary and secretary of state, briefed members but did not confirm a formal request. Sen. Lindsey Graham told reporters he believes the ask is coming.

Sen. Ron Johnson agreed, saying the military is burning through ammunition and needs to restock.

Pentagon builds a $50 billion case

Reuters reported the Pentagon is putting together a supplemental budget request of roughly $50 billion. Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg has reportedly led the effort, which could drop as soon as Friday.

The number is still preliminary and could shift. The money would go toward replacing weapons used in the Iran campaign and other recent military operations.

If the request moves forward, it would land on Capitol Hill at a time when both parties are already fighting over spending.

How emergency war funding works

A supplemental is an emergency spending bill that gives the military money beyond what Congress already approved in its regular budget. Congress has used them before to fund wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Unlike the regular budget, which gets planned months ahead, supplementals cover urgent, unplanned costs. They also need a vote in both chambers.

That gives Democrats real leverage in the Senate, where most spending bills need 60 votes to move forward.

The Pentagon already has a huge budget

Congress cleared roughly $839 billion in regular defense funding for the current fiscal year.

On top of that, lawmakers approved more than $150 billion through last year’s reconciliation bill, signed into law on July 4, 2025.

The Pentagon recently said it plans to spend all of that reconciliation money this fiscal year instead of spreading it out.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune pointed to that extra funding as a “cushion” and said the need for a supplemental is not yet clear.

The war has already cost billions

The Center for American Progress estimated Operation Epic Fury cost more than $5 billion in just its first few days.

Brown University’s Costs of War project has tracked total U.S. spending tied to the Iran conflict at roughly $43 billion since April 2024, counting earlier operations and Israel support.

The military has struck more than 1,000 targets using B-2 bombers, F-35 fighters, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and attack drones.

A former Pentagon budget official estimated the pre-strike military buildup alone ran about $630 million.

Democrats want answers before writing checks

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he needs to know the real goals and endgame before he considers backing new Pentagon spending.

Sen. Chris Murphy described the operation as feeling like it could drag on with no end in sight.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democratic appropriator in the House, said lawmakers have not received any cost estimate of what has already been spent.

Sen. Chris Coons called for open congressional hearings so the public can hear the administration’s plans.

Most Republicans signal support

Graham and Johnson both voiced support for a supplemental.

Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed that the need for more munitions funding came up during a leadership briefing. Most Republicans have backed the president’s military actions and are expected to support additional spending.

But the party is not completely unified.

Some fiscal conservatives and anti-interventionist members have questioned the operation, which could complicate a vote if the request grows larger than expected.

White House calls in defense contractors

The Trump administration plans to meet Friday with executives from major defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon parent RTX.

The goal is to speed up weapons production and replenish stockpiles.

Raytheon, which makes Tomahawk missiles, has an agreement to eventually ramp production to 1,000 units per year, but the Pentagon currently plans to buy only 57 this year.

U.S. weapons stockpiles have already been strained by years of support to Ukraine and Israel before the Iran campaign began.

Six U.S. troops killed in the operation

Six American service members have died in Operation Epic Fury as of March 3.

An Iranian strike hit a makeshift operations center at the Shuaiba port in Kuwait on March 1, killing all six. Eighteen others suffered serious wounds.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine both warned that more casualties are expected as the campaign continues.

The deaths have added urgency to the debate over war powers on Capitol Hill.

Senate set to vote on war powers

The Senate plans to vote this week on a bipartisan war powers resolution that would block further military action in Iran without congressional approval. Sen. Tim Kaine and Sen. Rand Paul co-sponsored the measure.

In the House, Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Thomas Massie introduced a similar resolution. The odds are steep.

Even if passed, Trump could veto, and Congress would need a two-thirds vote in both chambers to override. Seven previous war powers resolutions since June 2025 have all failed.

DHS shutdown adds pressure on Congress

The Department of Homeland Security has been in a partial shutdown since Feb. 14 over a dispute about immigration enforcement reforms.

The shutdown affects TSA, FEMA, the Coast Guard, and cybersecurity operations, though most DHS employees keep working. Republicans argue the Iran conflict makes it urgent to fully fund DHS.

Democrats say they will not drop their demands.

The FBI has warned of elevated domestic threat levels following the attacks on Iran, and some TSA workers are struggling financially after receiving only partial paychecks.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Even a DHS funding shutdown can’t stop ICE — here’s why
• Military recruits get “white glove” TSA screening on their way to boot camp
• Up to 2,500 Kennedy Center workers face cuts ahead of July shutdown