Uncle Sam is broke, but the war machine still needs feeding. Representative Mark Harris, a North Carolina Republican, let the cat out of the bag on Sunday, admitting that the GOP will likely have to resort to budget reconciliation—a legislative backdoor—to force through more cash for the conflict with Iran. Why? Because the Democrats aren’t playing ball.
It is a math problem. In the Senate, the filibuster stands like a brick wall. Reconciliation bypasses it. Simple as that. “To be honest with you, it’s probably going to take something along reconciliation,” Harris grumbled during an appearance on NewsNation’s “The Hill.” He lamented that Democrats simply won’t offer up the votes.
The price tag is staggering. Just last week, the White House begged for another $87.6 billion in emergency cash for “Operation Epic Fury.” That money gets sprinkled across the Pentagon, the Department of Energy, the Coast Guard, and the FBI. It is a massive ask. Especially since it sits on top of a monstrous $1.15 trillion baseline defense budget. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump even marched up to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to twist some arms.
Trump wants more. He is pushing for a cool $350 billion in defense spending wrapped up in a third reconciliation package. But his own party is flinching. Fiscal hawks in the House are suddenly playing hard to get, refusing to commit to the extra spending while their constituents scream about the bills.
The public is hurting. A recent Gallup poll revealed that two-thirds of Americans are feeling the squeeze from skyrocketing gas prices, a direct result of Iran choking off the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, the proposed $88 billion is meant to replenish high-tech munitions that the military burned through. The ceasefire is shaky. It gets violated constantly. But Harris insists the cash is vital to keep America looking like a superpower.
Good luck with that. The Senate GOP is already throwing cold water on the plan. Heavyweights like Susan Collins and Mitch McConnell have already signaled that a third reconciliation bill is dead on arrival. The gridlock remains. The bills keep piling up.
