The price tag of the war with Iran is mounting, and Congress is preparing to consider a request for additional funding from the White House. Operation Epic Fury is costing the U.S. government nearly $900 million per day, according to an estimate from CSIS, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C.”Well, 900 million in a day is a significant number,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Tuesday when asked about the analysis, and what his message would be to Americans who feel that money would be better spent on other priorities. Thune said wiping out Iran’s military capabilities is a worthy cause. “We are in a good place in achieving an objective that, frankly, is long overdue. I think this is something that is generational in terms of its impact, not only for that region but for the entire world,” Thune said. Congress boosted defense spending last summer, but experts say that the Trump administration will likely need to ask Congress for additional funding to achieve its goals. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Tuesday that a supplemental funding package for the Iran conflict is “inevitable.” It’s still unclear how big the request will be. The White House referred emailed questions on Tuesday to the Office of Management and Budget, which didn’t immediately respond. OMB also didn’t respond to questions about the cost of the war with Iran. The funding package is expected to face pushback from at least some Democrats, who have already raised concerns about the military operation. “American troops are in harm’s way. Billions are being spent overseas when there is such desperate needs here at home to lower costs,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Will lawmakers respond to rising gas prices?A new Quinnipiac Poll finds more than 7 in 10 voters are concerned about military action in Iran driving up oil and gas prices. Earlier this week, U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a bill to lower gas prices by temporarily suspending the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal gas tax through Oct. 1.”Trump’s war of choice with Iran is driving up gas prices across the country—and Americans shouldn’t have to bear the additional economic burden of Trump’s reckless decision-making,” said Blumenthal in a press release. The national average on Tuesday evening was roughly $3.54 per gallon, up more than 40 cents compared to the week prior, according to AAA.”Rest assured, to the American people. A recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary, and this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long term,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday.The White House didn’t commit to supporting a gas tax suspension, but said in an email that the administration “is always looking for ways to shore up stability in the oil markets.” Matt McClain, a petroleum analyst with GasBuddy, said pausing the gas tax could help bring some relief to Americans, but he also warned that the policy could drain a key revenue source for road repairs. “You don’t necessarily want to suspend that revenue generation for a lengthy period of time because, somehow and someway, you’ve gotta still take care of your highways,” McClain said.
The price tag of the war with Iran is mounting, and Congress is preparing to consider a request for additional funding from the White House.
Operation Epic Fury is costing the U.S. government nearly $900 million per day, according to an estimate from CSIS, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C.
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“Well, 900 million in a day is a significant number,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on Tuesday when asked about the analysis, and what his message would be to Americans who feel that money would be better spent on other priorities.
Thune said wiping out Iran’s military capabilities is a worthy cause.
“We are in a good place in achieving an objective that, frankly, is long overdue. I think this is something that is generational in terms of its impact, not only for that region but for the entire world,” Thune said.
Congress boosted defense spending last summer, but experts say that the Trump administration will likely need to ask Congress for additional funding to achieve its goals. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters on Tuesday that a supplemental funding package for the Iran conflict is “inevitable.”
It’s still unclear how big the request will be. The White House referred emailed questions on Tuesday to the Office of Management and Budget, which didn’t immediately respond. OMB also didn’t respond to questions about the cost of the war with Iran.
The funding package is expected to face pushback from at least some Democrats, who have already raised concerns about the military operation.
“American troops are in harm’s way. Billions are being spent overseas when there is such desperate needs here at home to lower costs,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
Will lawmakers respond to rising gas prices?
A new Quinnipiac Poll finds more than 7 in 10 voters are concerned about military action in Iran driving up oil and gas prices.
Earlier this week, U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., introduced a bill to lower gas prices by temporarily suspending the 18.4-cent-per-gallon federal gas tax through Oct. 1.
“Trump’s war of choice with Iran is driving up gas prices across the country—and Americans shouldn’t have to bear the additional economic burden of Trump’s reckless decision-making,” said Blumenthal in a press release.
The national average on Tuesday evening was roughly $3.54 per gallon, up more than 40 cents compared to the week prior, according to AAA.
“Rest assured, to the American people. A recent increase in oil and gas prices is temporary, and this operation will result in lower gas prices in the long term,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday.
The White House didn’t commit to supporting a gas tax suspension, but said in an email that the administration “is always looking for ways to shore up stability in the oil markets.”
Matt McClain, a petroleum analyst with GasBuddy, said pausing the gas tax could help bring some relief to Americans, but he also warned that the policy could drain a key revenue source for road repairs.
“You don’t necessarily want to suspend that revenue generation for a lengthy period of time because, somehow and someway, you’ve gotta still take care of your highways,” McClain said.
