The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a budget framework that pairs billions in new farm assistance with funding for the Iran war, but the measure faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
The House approved the roughly $95 billion framework– including $12 billion in new farm aid– on a narrow party-line vote. Senate Republicans are already signaling it won’t advance without significant changes.
House Agriculture Committee Chair and Pennsylvania Congressman GT Thompson says the assistance is urgently needed as producers continue to struggle with mounting losses.
“American producers are currently staring down the barrel of $80 billion in uncovered farm losses since 2023. That’s even with commodity program payments and the Bridge Assistance Program that President Trump initiated last fall.”
But the measure faces long odds or big changes in the Senate, despite its purpose to avoid a Democratic filibuster.
Senate Republican Party Leader and South Dakota Senator John Thune suggests a ‘dead end’ for the House budget…. with one exception.
“If they give us a budget resolution as a vehicle, we will hold that, subject to obviously being able to move a continuing resolution to fund the government. It’s a possibility that if necessary, we could pull that budget resolution passed by the House and use it to fund government. I hope that’s not necessary.”
Beyond Senate resistance, the proposal also faces opposition within the GOP over deficit spending and election ID provisions requested by the President, while Democrats continue to oppose funding the Iran war.
Meanwhile, trade policy also remained in focus on Capitol Hill. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told frustrated lawmakers from agricultural states that the administration has no plans to change course on tariffs.
“The specific authorities this administration is using have changed, but the trade strategy has not. We are committed to continuing to use tariffs and to negotiate deals to support the reindustrialization of our economy, protect American workers and increase their wages and shrink our trade deficit.”
U.S. President Donald Trump is imposing tariffs of 10 to 12.5% on imports from 60 countries, saying they have inadequately enforced bans on goods produced by forced labor. Trump turned to these levies under a 1974 trade law after the Supreme Court struck down his biggest tariffs in February. The new tariffs come as temporary, 10% worldwide tariffs expired Friday (July 24, 2026).
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