Jeffries Won’t Say Whether Democrats Should Tie Funding to Iran War

Jeffries said at a news conference, “We’re going to end the war in Iran one way or the other,” but pointed to Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrats on their chambers’ appropriations committees. The spending measure must pass by Dec. 11 to avert a shutdown. Some Democrats want it to bar federal funds from being used to continue what they call an unauthorized war, after Trump ignored a war powers resolution passed by Congress earlier this year.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen urged Democrats to use the deadline as leverage. In a video posted Tuesday, he said the war had lasted 255 days and argued that stopping its funding was the fastest way to end it. A Reuters/Ipsos survey published Monday found that 71% of adults, including 51% of Republicans, supported legislation to end the war.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has not said whether he would back a funding cutoff. He told Politico last week that he was working with Murray to reach an agreement before the deadline. In a joint statement Monday, Schumer and Jeffries pledged to “stop the reckless war of choice in Iran,” but did not specify a course of action. They said “a new day is coming on January 3.”

Drop Site News co-founder Ryan Grim said Van Hollen’s position could increase pressure on Schumer. Grim also argued Jeffries appeared under little pressure to take a stronger stand, as progressives have said they will support him as speaker. Critics have previously faulted Jeffries’ response to the war, including independent journalist Adam Johnson, who said he focused on procedural objections and did not force a war powers vote until several days after bombing began.

The anti-war group Just Foreign Policy argues that cutting off funds is among the surest ways to stop a war. It cited Congress’ 1973 funding restriction during the US withdrawal from Vietnam, saying US bombing of Cambodia ended when the prohibition took effect. The group is urging Democrats to risk a shutdown rather than continue funding the Iran war.