Representative Tran Joins Fellow Veterans in Congress to Block Taxpayer Dollars for Iran War

Washington, DC - U.S. Representative Derek Tran (CA-45) joined Representative Pat Ryan (NY-18) and 14 fellow Veterans to introduce legislation prohibiting the use of additional taxpayer dollars to fund the Iran War.

On February 28, 2026, President Trump bypassed Congress to strike Iran, launching a war that has cost at least $25 billion, killed 13 brave U.S. servicemembers and wounded hundreds more, and caused prices to skyrocket at home. The No Funds for Iran War Act would require an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) or an official declaration of war from Congress to fund further military action against Iran with federal tax revenue.

Read the full text of the bill HERE.

"Over sixty days into the Trump Administration's reckless war of choice in Iran, thirteen American soldiers have lost their lives, and our children will be saddled with the global consequences and a multi-billion-dollar debt. Instead of bringing Iran closer to a free and democratic future, President Trump and Secretary Hegseth have destroyed the lives and livelihoods of thousands of civilians in their failure to act with transparency, measured diplomacy, and thoughtful justification. The Trump Administration's impulsive, unilateral military actions, without the consent of the American people, are further destabilizing an already volatile region. I stand firmly with my fellow Democratic Veterans in Congress to demand a halt in funds for this reckless war and reassert Congressional authority over war-making powers. I will not accept another forever war," said Representative Derek Tran.

"The American people have been clear from the beginning: they want lower costs and no more forever wars. The Trump administration has spent nine weeks conducting an illegal war in Iran that has done the exact opposite - and every American is paying the price," said Representative Pat Ryan. "Their recklessness has killed 13 brave servicemembers, wounded hundreds more, cost at least $25 billion in taxpayer money, and sent gas prices skyrocketing here at home. Since Day 1, there has been no strategy or endgame. Not a single dollar more on this ill-conceived war."

Article II of the U.S. Constitution affords the President the power to take military action without Congressional authorization so long as (a) the President notifies Congress of the action within 48 hours and (b) the action is terminated within 60 days unless Congress authorizes further use of military force. President Trump's war reached its 60-day mark on May 1, 2026, but the President has not since sought approval from Congress to continue hostilities with Iran.

Along with Representative Tran, cosponsors of the No Funds for Iran War Act include House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Adam Smith (WA-09), House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (NY-05), House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Ranking Member Jim Himes (CT-04), and fellow Veterans Ted Lieu (CA-36), Chris Deluzio (PA-17), Jason Crow (CO-06), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Eugene Vindman (VA-07), Gil Cisneros (CA-31), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02), Herb Conaway (NJ-03), Mike Thompson (CA-04), and Bobby Scott (VA-03).

"Trump's war of choice has achieved none of the administration's stated objectives and has surpassed the president's initial stated timeline of the conflict, which was supposed to last only a few weeks. Now that the president is moving the goal posts and twisting the 60-day requirements of the War Powers Act, Congress must take action. It is time for it to exercise its constitutional power of the purse," said Representative Adam Smith, Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee.

"Trump's Iran war was never authorized by Congress, and no funds appropriated by Congress should be spent on this illegal conflict," said Representative Gregory Meeks, Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. "The American people don't want this administration spending billions of taxpayer dollars on a new forever war in the Middle East that is already driving up the costs of everything from gas to groceries. I thank Rep. Ryan for his leadership introducing this bill."

"Donald Trump believes he can continue to wage an unconstitutional war at the expense of American taxpayers, but at the end of the day Congress still holds the purse strings and will be the final authority on our long-term military action overseas," said Representative Jim Himes, Ranking Member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. "I know that my Republican colleagues are hearing, as I am, from their constituents who are seeing their gas and grocery prices rise by the week, and I hope that they will join us in limiting this illegal spending, restoring Congress' constitutional authority to declare war and refocusing on delivering lower prices for the American people."

"We are a nation of laws, and the Constitution gives the American People and the Congress-not the president-the power to spend public money," said Representative Chris Deluzio. "Americans at home are struggling to pay bills and afford their lives. Meanwhile, Donald Trump's Iran War is wasting American lives and billions on a war we didn't have to fight. Too many in Congress will not grow a spine to assert our War Powers, yet another reason why we need to pass the No Funds for Iran War Act. Let's stop funneling billions into this reckless war and bring our troops home."

"Congress should not fund an illegal war. The Constitution is clear: only Congress has the power to authorize war, and Congress never approved the use of military force against Iran," said Representative Ted Lieu. "This bill makes unmistakably clear that we will not support an illegal war by providing taxpayer funding for it. Doing so would undermine one of the Founders' core principles: that Congress, and by extension the American people, must decide when our nation goes to war."

"Trump started his illegal war in Iran without rhyme or reason, and the results have been nothing short of disastrous," said Representative Salud Carbajal. "His war has cost American taxpayers tens of billions of dollars while driving up the cost of essentials like groceries and gas. I'm supporting Congressman Ryan's No Funds for Iran War Act because Americans should not be forced to foot the bill for an endless, unauthorized conflict."

"We do not write blank checks for unauthorized wars in the United States of America," said Representative Maggie Goodlander. "Our commonsense bill will restore the basic accountability and sanity that the American people need and deserve from our government."

"I won't vote for a dime to continue this illegal war with Iran. It's clear that President Trump has no endgame and no strategy," said Representative Jason Crow. "Republicans must stop enabling this illegal war that has already killed 13 American servicemembers, cost us tens of billions in taxpayer dollars, and raised gas prices at home."

An Army Veteran, Representative Tran is dedicated to expanding protections and benefits for Veterans and service members in Washington. Tran serves on the powerful House Armed Services Committee, overseeing the Department of Defense, and has voted in favor of several Congressional war powers resolutions reaffirming that Congress, not the executive branch, reserves the right to declare war. The first bill Tran introduced in Congress was H.R. 1637, the Protect Veteran Jobs Act, to restore the livelihoods of Veterans wrongfully fired from their civil service positions. He recently joined Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-01) in introducing the WARRIOR Act to protect women's ability to serve all roles across the military, including in combat. In September 2025, Tran's bipartisan Delivering Digitally for our Veterans Act, which aims to streamline the administration of Veterans' educational benefits through the G.I. Bill, unanimously passed the House.

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Congressman Derek Tran represents California's 45th Congressional District. Serving his first term in Congress, Congressman Tran is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and House Small Business Committee, where he is Ranking Member of the Oversight, Investigations, and Regulations Subcommittee. Congressman Tran is the son of Vietnamese refugees, a Veteran, and fought for consumers as an attorney before entering Congress.