WATCH LIVE: Senate Democrats block $1 trillion annual defense bill in protest over Iran war

By — Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-live-senate-democrats-block-1-trillion-annual-defense-bill-in-protest-over-iran-war Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter WATCH LIVE: Senate Democrats block $1 trillion annual defense bill in protest over Iran war Politics Jul 14, 2026 5:19 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats blocked a $1 trillion annual defense bill Tuesday, refusing to advance the bipartisan package that would substantially increase Pentagon spending, including a pay raise for the troops, in protest of President Donald Trump's war against Iran. Watch the Senate floor live in the video player above. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer announced his opposition and other key Democrats said they could not support the annual bill, known as the National Defense Authorization Act, as the war drags into a fifth month with no clear endgame in sight. The tally was 50-46, failing largely along party lines to reach the threshold needed. READ MORE: U.S. launches additional strikes on Iran ahead of restoring blockade, official says "The NDAA cannot become a permission slip for that recklessness that we see occurring in Iran," Schumer, of New York, said ahead of voting. "Donald Trump does not get to drag the American people deeper into a war he cannot explain and does not know how to end — and then demand that Congress look the other way." The Senate vote comes a day after the White House formally notified Congress that it had resumed bombing strikes against Iran, effectively undoing the fragile ceasefire in the U.S.-Israel led conflict that has resulted in economic disruptions, including volatile gas prices ahead of the midterm elections. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Congress has tried repeatedly to slap guardrails on the administration, voting more than 10 times on various war powers resolutions that would halt hostilities. But those efforts have not succeeded, and most Republicans in the House and Senate majorities back Trump. Senate Majority Leader John Thune called the defense package a good bill and implored his colleagues to provide the resources to ensure the U.S. is kept safe. "We have an obligation here in Congress to ensure that they have everything they need for whatever the mission may be," he said. After the bill failed to advance, Thune switched his vote in a procedural move that will allow the leader to bring it back up for consideration again later. For decades, Congress had made sure to approve the annual defense bill each year, setting the policy and direction for the department and authorizing the funds that would later be allocated to carry out its investments in systems, supplies and missions. This year, the 66th annual NDAA is running into a double-whammy of opposition. Lawmakers are fum