Washington — The House on Wednesday approved a Republican budget framework that would open the door to as much as $95 billion in new funding for the Iran war, assistance for farmers and portions of President Trump’s voting regulations proposal, the SAVE America Act.
The budget resolution passed narrowly, 216 to 214, with every Democrat and two Republicans voting against it.
The vote marks the latest move by House Republicans to advance Mr. Trump’s agenda after the bipartisan appropriations process stalled. Democrats have remained firmly opposed to extending funding for the war in Iran, and they have also objected to the tougher voting rules promoted by the president.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, described the strategy as the party’s “best shot” at pushing through the SAVE America Act.
Wednesday’s House vote is only the opening stage of the party-line reconciliation process. The Senate must still adopt the resolution, which would direct the relevant committees to begin drafting the $95 billion reconciliation package. That final measure would then have to pass both the House and Senate. Republicans are relying on reconciliation — the same procedural tool they have used for tax cuts and immigration enforcement measures — because it allows legislation to bypass Democratic opposition in the Senate and pass with a simple majority.
Under the resolution, the House Armed Services Committee would be instructed to draft legislation increasing spending by up to $60 billion, while the House Intelligence Committee would be allowed to add as much as $13 billion. The House Agriculture Committee would receive a $12 billion ceiling, and the House Administration Committee would be given a $10 billion cap.
The proposal is expected to face significant obstacles in the Senate, where the SAVE America Act has been stalled for months and does not currently have support from even a simple majority. It is also uncertain whether the voting regulation measures — including requirements that voters provide proof of citizenship to register and show photo identification to cast a ballot — would be permitted under Senate reconciliation rules, which bar provisions that are not primarily budget-related. Funding for the Iran war may also encounter resistance, as several Republican senators have recently voted to limit Mr. Trump’s authority on Iran while the conflict continues without congressional authorization.
The plan includes no measures to offset the proposed spending increases, a point that has angered some House conservatives.
“I think the problem is there’s no plan to pay for it,” GOP Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio said last week ahead of House Republicans’ meeting with Vice President JD Vance, who came to the Capitol to rally members behind the plan. “A no-offset plan is dead on arrival.”
On Monday, Mr. Trump called on House Republicans to unify behind the budget resolution and “fight” for the SAVE America Act. Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought met with House Republicans on Tuesday morning as the administration worked to get the resolution across the finish line.
