Murray Criticizes Proposed War Funding, Calls For Domestic Investments

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., on Tuesday criticized a proposed increase in defense spending tied to a potential conflict with Iran, arguing that federal funds would be better spent on domestic priorities such as health care, child care and housing.

Murray, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the proposal includes roughly $500 billion in additional defense spending and could reach $1.5 trillion in total war-related funding. She said the plan would come alongside cuts to programs that support working families.

“Trump just asked Congress to increase defense spending by roughly half a trillion dollars. And to do it, he wants to cut programs people rely on—a home heating and cooling program, housing programs, afterschool programs, small business support, and a whole lot more,” said Murray.

In a video released Monday, Murray criticized what she described as a “war of choice” and outlined alternative ways the funding could be used, including extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, expanding access to child care and investing in medical research.

“I think it is pretty obvious to most Americans, that there are a lot of better ways our nation could spend billions of dollars than blowing it on bombs and bullets for a war that no one asked for,” said Murray.

Murray said extending health care tax credits could help lower premiums and expand coverage, noting that previous changes led to rising costs for some families. She also said increased federal investment could make child care more accessible and affordable for working parents.

“As a former preschool teacher—I have to tell you—that’s absolutely wrong. In fact—we can’t afford to ignore child care,” said Murray.

Murray also pointed to potential investments in education, housing and efforts to reduce child hunger, arguing those priorities would provide broader long-term benefits for families.

“What if instead of Trump spending $500 billion sending our kids to war in Iran, we put that money toward sending kids to college and helping them attain a higher education?” said Murray.

Supporters of increased defense spending have argued that higher military investment is necessary to address national security threats and maintain global stability, particularly in regions experiencing ongoing conflict. Lawmakers backing the proposal have also emphasized the need to ensure U.S. military readiness and support for service members.

The senator also raised concerns about the potential economic impact of increased defense spending, including rising costs for families and the possibility of reduced funding for domestic programs.

“At the end of the day—it is almost hard to think of a worse way to spend hundreds of billions of dollars than Trump’s war in Iran,” said Murray.

Murray said she plans to continue opposing the proposal as Congress considers federal spending priorities in the coming months.