The Senate voted against moving forward with a resolution that would have reined in President Donald Trump’s ability to take further military action against Iran, rejecting an effort by Democrats to reaffirm congressional war powers.

Pentagon officials touted the spending plan as a $1 trillion investment oriented to counter China, but that amount combines a proposed base budget of $848.3 billion with $113.3 billion that the White House is seeking through a massive tax cut and spending bill yet to be passed by Congress.

The Senate’s legislation initially called for $3.3 billion to fund the military’s mission at the southwest border, but that amount has been reduced to $1 billion under updated bill language released Wednesday.

Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, who is nominated to take command of U.S. forces in the Middle East, told senators at his confirmation hearing that the protection of troops is top of mind because Iran continues to possess “considerable tactical capability.”

The veterans, all Democrats, did not indicate which war powers resolution they will back as lawmakers across Capitol Hill race to make their voices heard in the aftermath of the U.S. military’s strikes against Iran’s major nuclear facilities.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Trump will decide whether the U.S. will provide a 30,000-pound “bunker buster” bomb that is capable of reaching Fordo, Iran’s most heavily fortified nuclear site. 

The House Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a $831.5 billion defense spending bill in a 36-27 vote that keeps the base Pentagon budget flat for fiscal 2026, which begins Oct. 1.

A tense exchange about Greenland and Panama began a series of other confrontations between Hegseth and House Democrats, some of whom demanded he resign.

Hegseth maintained the call-up of 4,000 National Guard members and 700 active-duty Marines was “lawful and constitutional” and said the same process could be employed in other cities.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended the deployment of National Guard troops and Marines to respond to immigration protests in Los Angeles, saying the military would stay involved for 60 days at a cost of $134 million.