Van Hollen Joins Warren, Merkley, Schumer, Lawmakers in Urging Nonpartisan Congressional Scorekeeper to Determine True Cost of War in Iran

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) joined Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, along with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and a coalition of lawmakers in urging the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to determine the true cost of war in Iran and set the record straight regarding inaccurate and incomplete estimates provided by the Trump administration.

Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) also joined in signing the letter.

"The American people deserve to know the true costs of this conflict, and they deserve transparency and honesty when their government commits the nation to war," wrote the senators.

On April 29, two months into the war, Acting Comptroller of the Department of Defense (DOD) Jay Hurst testified before Congress that the cost of Operation Epic Fury would be about $25 billion. Weeks later, he revised that estimate to be about $29 billion.

But independent analysts and investigative journalists have produced estimates that are significantly higher, raising concerns that the administration has not been fully truthful or transparent with the American public. Some Republican lawmakers reportedly heard estimates that the Pentagon is spending as much as $2 billion a day on the war, roughly quadruple the initial estimate that Hurst gave to Congress.

According to public reports, the estimates provided to Congress "did not fully account for damaged or destroyed equipment or U.S. military installations damaged," with the real cost coming in closer to "$40-50 billion when accounting for the costs of rebuilding U.S. military installations and replacing destroyed assets," including "extensive damage" to U.S. bases in the Middle East.

Even conservative experts, including President Trump's former DOD deputy comptroller Elaine McCusker, estimated the cost to be as high as $35 billion at the time of the April 7 ceasefire. When accounting for operations, munitions, equipment losses, and U.S. military aid, other analysts have estimated the war's cost to be as high as $72 billion in just the first 60 days. These figures could be even higher with indirect costs, when accounting for higher energy prices and long-term care for veterans.

"It is essential that Congress and the American public receive accurate, comprehensive estimates of the costs of the war in Iran," wrote the lawmakers.

The senators' letter comes as the Trump administration intends to request as much as $200 billion in additional funding for the war in Iran-in addition to its unprecedented $1.5 trillion defense budget request it recently submitted to Congress.

"[CBO's] timely and comprehensive estimate of the immediate and long-term budgetary consequences will help ensure that the Iran war remains subject to rigorous and appropriate legislative oversight," the senators concluded.

The full text of the letter is available here and below:

Dr. Swagel:

As you prepare your analysis of the war costs associated with Operation Epic Fury, we urge you to take into consideration the significant divergence between the administration's public estimates and those produced by independent analysts and investigative journalists. We are concerned that the administration has not been fully truthful or transparent in its public accounting of the war's costs so far.

On April 29, two months into the war, Acting Comptroller of the Department of Defense (DOD) Jay Hurst testified before Congress that "approximately, of this day, we're spending about $25 billion on Operation Epic Fury." Weeks later, Hurst informed lawmakers that the cost estimate for the war had risen to $29 billion, despite a ceasefire taking hold since his earlier testimony.

Independent investigative reporting has raised further questions about the accuracy of DOD's figures, including those provided by Hurst. According to public reports, the estimates provided to Congress "did not fully account for damaged or destroyed equipment or U.S. military installations damaged" and that "the real cost estimate is closer to $40-50 billion when accounting for the costs of rebuilding U.S. military installations and replacing destroyed assets," including "extensive damage" to U.S. bases following strikes in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and Iraq.

Other independent assessments have also challenged the administration's numbers. One analysis estimated that the war cost $16.5 billion in the first 12 days. Even conservative experts, including the president's former DOD Comptroller Elaine McCusker, placed the cost at up to $35 billion as of the April 7 cease fire. Other analysts, when accounting for operations, munitions, equipment losses, and U.S. military aid, have put the war's costs even higher at nearly $72 billion in the first 60 days. These figures could rise further if the indirect costs, including higher energy prices and long-term care for veterans, are taken into account.

It is essential that Congress and the American public receive accurate, comprehensive estimates of the costs of the war in Iran. The discrepancies between the administration's public cost estimates and those produced by independent analysts are especially concerning in light of the administration's stated intention to submit a supplemental funding request for as much as $200 billion. Presumably this would be in addition to the unprecedented $1.5 trillion defense budget request recently submitted to Congress.

The American people deserve to know the true costs of this conflict, and they deserve transparency and honesty when their government commits the nation to war. Your timely and comprehensive estimate of the immediate and long-term budgetary consequences will help ensure that the Iran war remains subject to rigorous and appropriate legislative oversight.

Sincerely,