On the 22nd (local time), the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $95 billion budget bill initiated solely by the Republican Party. 

This was a high-stakes move—one that initially appeared unlikely to succeed—aimed at funding the war in Iran and other key White House policies, despite opposition from Democrats and several hardline Republican members ahead of the final general election before the midterms.

According to the Associated Press, House Republicans were divided on the plan. Conservative members expressed concern over the lack of offsetting budget cuts. However, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson pushed the bill forward, believing that despite skepticism in the Senate, this independent approach was the best opportunity to push through a divided Congress and fulfill President Donald Trump's policy priorities.

The vote count was 216 in favor and 214 against, with all Democratic members voting no.

Representative Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), Chairman of the Budget Committee, stated, "We just have to finish the job with bullets and bombs."

House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-California) criticized the move, saying, "Republicans plan to pour tens of billions of dollars into Trump’s failed war in Iran."

The passed budget includes $60 billion for the Department of War, $13 billion for other national security-related needs, $12 billion in aid for farmers struggling due to Trump's tariff policies, and $10 billion to fulfill one of Trump's top priorities: the "SAVE Act," which mandates revisions to voting laws and strengthens proof-of-citizenship requirements.

Republicans are relying on the budget reconciliation process, which allows bills to pass with a simple majority in Congress, thereby bypassing the Senate filibuster that could delay or kill the legislation.

Republicans had previously utilized the reconciliation process to approve Trump’s large-scale tax cuts and spending cuts last summer, and earlier this year, they secured Department of Homeland Security funding after Democrats refused to provide financial support for Trump’s mass deportation policies.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Alabama) remarked, "Regardless of your views on the current situation, these funds are essential to ensuring our combat readiness, paying our soldiers, and guaranteeing our national security."

On the other hand, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) pushed back, stating, "Republicans have literally taken food out of the mouths of hungry children, seniors, and veterans to maintain Trump’s war machine."

The central question now is whether this budget bill can pass the Senate, where the SAVE Act currently remains stalled.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) has avoided giving a definitive answer regarding the House-passed defense budget. Some Republican senators prefer increased military spending, while others insist that costs must be offset by spending cuts in other areas.

The AP reported that for Senator Thune, the top priority is preventing a federal government shutdown that could occur if a budget bill is not passed by September 30.

The Associated Press, which has maintained a consistently critical tone toward the Trump administration, noted, "It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections, and experts warn that the newly proposed rules could make it more difficult for eligible American citizens to exercise their right to vote." The AP added, "Estimates suggest that approximately 9% of U.S. citizens of voting age—about 21.3 million people—do not have easy access to documentation proving citizenship. Furthermore, nearly half of all Americans do not possess a U.S. passport."

However, proponents of the SAVE Act point to several factors to support its legitimacy: 23 states have refused to participate in the federal SAVE program despite the fact that state governments managing voter rolls lack their own means to verify the citizenship of registered voters; New Jersey recently announced that 6,660 non-citizens registered to vote and fewer than 400 actually voted over a one-year period; and individuals can apply for a separate voter ID even without a passport or driver's license.

NNP USA = Representative Reporter Hong Sung-gu / Special Dispatch to the NNP info@newsandpost.com