Senate Eyes Supplemental Funding for Iran, But What About SAVE America Act?

As top Trump administration officials descended on Capitol Hill Tuesday afternoon to update the Senate on Operation Epic Fury, Senators told The Daily Signal they’re considering a supplemental funding package to support U.S. military action against Iran.

But some senators worry a supplemental funding fight could distract the Senate from other urgent priorities.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Oak., told the Daily Signal he would “absolutely” support a supplemental funding package to continue Operation Epic Fury after Tuesday’s closed-door briefing.

Congress recently passed the Fiscal Year 2026 Defense Appropriations Act in February which allocated over $830 billion to defense, but Congress might decide to pass more defense funding in light of the administration’s bold $1.5 trillion defense budget.

Before the briefing, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., seemed uncertain about the need for supplemental funds. “Maybe yes,” Graham said. “We may need a supplemental to help our friends in Israel and to deal with the increased threats.”

After the meeting, Graham seemed more certain. “I think there will be a supplemental. We’ll have to approve that,” he told reporters.  

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., told The Daily Signal, “We’ll do whatever we need to do here to make sure our military is supported.”

Similarly, Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, told the Daily Signal that he would also support an Operation Epic Fury funding package, “If they need, absolutely.”

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., told reporters he was almost certain Republicans would pursue a supplemental funding package.

“I’m sure they’ll ask for supplemental appropriations,” said Murphy. “I don’t think they’ll get them.”

“I’m more convinced now that this is going to be open ended and forever,” Murphy continued. “They clearly have no, they clearly seem fine with hard line elements being in control of the country, because they plan to permanently run air operations over the country.”

Murphy claimed that behind closed doors the administration refused to take off the table ground operations. “This feels like a multi-trillion dollar open ended conflict with a very confusing and constantly shifting set of goals,” he concluded.  

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., was skeptical. He said that while he expects they [Republicans] will come forward with a request for additional funding, he is unsure if he would support it. “Before I will support additional funding, I expect us to have an open hearing,” Coons told the press coming out of the closed-door classified hearing.

Given the president’s repeated comments regarding America’s ability to continue the Iran campaign, however, the upper chamber might face more pressing issues than a supplemental defense funding package.

The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down. Democrats are demanding reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a precondition for reopening the government.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., told The Daily Signal her focus is still on funding DHS. “My focus right now is getting that funded, and then certainly I’m open to turning my attention to other things,” Britt said in reference to the DHS funding lapse. “Their mission, is to keep Americans safe, and yet this body has yet to act on that.”

 “I think it’s imperative that we fund DHS now,” said Graham. “I think the likelihood of a terrorist attack against the United States is very, very high… because of the threat level coming from Iran.”

But the Republican voting base, however, have their eyes on passing the SAVE America Act, an election integrity measure that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and nationwide voter ID.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, one of the Senate’s main drivers of the SAVE America Act, is warning that the operation in Iran should not distract the Senate.

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