Pennsylvania Lawmakers Speak Out
Five Pennsylvania House members went on record against the Iran war last week, flooding social media and issuing formal statements as Congress debated a $1.15 trillion defense bill that became a flashpoint over military spending and accountability.
All five were Democrats. The lone Republican to weigh in, Rep. Mike Kelly, backed the defense bill without addressing the war directly. Pennsylvania's two senators, Democrat John Fetterman and Republican Dave McCormick, issued no Iran-related communications as the House voted on the fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act and, separately, on a measure to halt what critics called an unauthorized war with Iran. Four of the five members who spoke cast votes against the NDAA; all five used their public platforms to tie the conflict to rising costs for American families.
What They're Saying: Democrats
Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA-2) was the most prolific voice in the delegation on Iran last week, posting five times on X between July 21 and July 27.
His sharpest line came July 23: "Trump's Iran war is the most unpopular war in American history. Trump's recklessness has cost American lives and driven up prices at home. And after many months, he still doesn't have a strategy or exit plan. I once again voted to end this war."
A day earlier, Boyle framed the spending debate in economic terms: "The fact is, American families have already paid $3,100 due to inflation under Trump and Republicans. But instead of helping working families, Republicans' latest budget wastes tens of billions of your tax dollars on Trump's disastrous Iran war."
On July 21, he drew a direct contrast between war spending and domestic needs: "Republicans are spending billions of your tax dollars on Trump's Iran war and trillions on tax breaks for billionaires. But they won't spend a dime to make your life easier."
His final post of the week, on July 27, broadened the critique: "President Trump has taken health care from millions of Americans and jacked up prices with his failed war in Iran and tariff taxes. His record on the economy has been an abject failure."
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA-6) combined two X posts with a formal press release that offered the most detailed constitutional argument in the delegation.
In her statement on H.R. 8800, the 2027 NDAA, Houlahan wrote that Congress is "nearly five months into an unlawful war with Iran that Congress never authorized and most Americans never wanted." She described the Trump administration as entering the conflict "without a clear strategy, defined objectives or a credible plan to end it."
Houlahan, a Navy and Air Force veteran, said she spent months offering amendments to impose oversight before casting her no vote. "I offered eleven oversight amendments to impose accountability, protect the professionalism of our force, defend the people who serve, and prevent the further politicization of our military," she wrote. "My Republican colleagues blocked every single one. Every. Single. One."
On X, she connected the war to local gas prices: "These are gas prices in Parkesburg today. Every day of President Trump's war with Iran is another day that costs are too high. We cannot afford to keep sending trillions to the incompetent leadership at the Department of Defense. That's one of many reasons why I just voted NO on the NDAA."
A day later, July 23, she posted: "This morning, I joined every Democrat and four Republicans in voting again to stop this war with Iran. It's unpopular, it's unaffordable, it's unlawful, and it's time for it to end."
Rep. Summer Lee (D-PA-12) posted once on July 23, after the House vote: "The House just voted to stop Trump's unauthorized war with Iran, again. The will of the people is clear: we do not want another endless and senseless war that is costing us lives and billions of taxpayer dollars. This must end."
Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-PA-17), a Navy veteran and Iraq War veteran, issued a press release July 22 that went beyond the war itself to allege corruption in defense contracting.
"I will not vote for unrestricted funding to blindly continue Donald Trump's reckless, deadly, and expensive Iran War," Deluzio said. "Amid many reports of corruption, self-dealing, and price gouging, this Defense Bill was a chance for the Congress to impose real oversight over the Defense Department and its contractors, to better protect public money, and to fight corruption. This bill failed to do that — and will instead hand over a $1.15 trillion check without meaningful guardrails to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's failed leadership."
Deluzio's release noted that the Republican majority rejected his NDAA amendments, which would have barred defense contractors from issuing stock buybacks when they fail to invest in research, development, or infrastructure. His anti-corruption provisions, which would have stopped administration and department officials from enriching themselves through Pentagon contracts, were also stripped from the final bill.
The release cited a Washington Post report that two of President Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, built defense technology investment portfolios after their father's re-election, with linked contractors generating billions in government business.
The Republican View
Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA-16) did not speak out on Iran but issued a press release praising the new defense bill that funds the military. "President Trump and congressional Republicans have promised to restore greatness to America's military, and this year's NDAA does just that," Kelly said. His release described the bill as implementing "peace through strength," supporting a five to seven percent pay raise for service members, and targeting adversaries including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
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