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^1,2,3,4.

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. Bennet's office said the statement followed a letter urging colleagues to block packages that include additional war appropriations¹.

The Hill and Roll Call 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 provision^2,3. "I know it's going to be my main push," Kaine told The Hill². 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 summer⁴.

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, The Hill, Roll Call and States Newsroom reported^2,3,4.

Roll Call reported that House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., said earlier in the week a Republican Congress would not send the president bills he would veto³. Roll Call also said the Office of Management and Budget has not yet submitted continuing-resolution anomalies and that the administration is considering options including a stopgap through March³. The Hill reported Republicans were considering additional defense spending in a party-line reconciliation package in their remaining weeks in the majority, and that President Donald Trump called Thursday for Congress to move quickly on it². No on-record White House response to the four senators' demand was included in these accounts^1,2,3,4.