Politico: Democrats Move to Cut Funding for Trump's War on Iran Before January

Politico reported that some Democrats do not want to wait until January to thwart President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, and their first opportunity to cut off war funding may come before they take control of Congress.

Lawmakers face a December 11 deadline to extend federal funding or trigger a government shutdown, just weeks after Republicans lose their majority. Following successful election campaigns to end the war, some Democrats say that any year-end spending measure must prohibit funds allocated for the military conflict.

Representative Rosa DeLauro said in a statement to the newspaper that Democrats “will not fund at all Trump’s optional war in Iran, which has increased costs for American families and made us less safe.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he would have a leadership conversation with DeLauro regarding the war, adding that the American people are demanding an end to the conflict.

Representative Rashida Tlaib and Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker are pushing Democrats to take a harder line with Republicans. Tlaib called for a temporary funding package in December that would bar money for “any combat activities by the U.S. military in Iran,” while Pritzker stated, “No surrender.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is working with Senator Patty Murray “to get something done” on funding before the shutdown deadline, pledging that Democrats “will end the war” using their power of the purse. However, neither he nor Murray anticipated whether Democrats would demand cutting off war funding during negotiations.

Observers believe that using the December 11 deadline as leverage raises the likelihood of a government shutdown extending into the new year, and Democrats will have to weigh the pros and cons of confronting Republicans in a battle they may not necessarily win.