Four U.S. senators said Thursday that a short-term spending bill due before Dec. 11 must restrict appropriated funds for the war with Iran^1,2,3.

Democratic Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Tammy Duckworth of Illinois and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, issued a joint statement from Bennet's office¹. They wrote that any short-term package "must include language that restricts the Trump Administration from using appropriated funds" for the conflict¹.

The senators said more than 20 American service members have been killed and hundreds wounded¹. They said they intend to fund the government and stop funds for the war when they vote on appropriations¹.

The Hill reported that Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia also said he would not support a short-term continuing resolution unless it blocks money for the Iran war, and that he is drafting such a provision². The Hill said any short-term bill would need about seven Democratic votes in the Senate².

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, said Democrats were discussing how, or whether, to use the Dec. 11 deadline as leverage, The Hill reported². Murray also said she wanted a short stopgap lasting into next year². A States Newsroom Washington report said Murray told that outlet Democrats did not intend to approve tens of billions of dollars in additional Iran-war funding the administration requested this summer³.

The Hill said Sens. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin did not commit Thursday to blocking government funding solely over the war². House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he did not want to get ahead of bipartisan talks and that Rep. Rosa DeLauro was working through Democratic priorities, States Newsroom reported³.

No on-record response from the White House or Senate Republican leaders was included in the statement or these accounts^1,2,3.