{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.kelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/kelly-colleagues-push-to-stop-trump-from-hiding-the-true-cost-of-the-iran-war-and-dishonoring-the-sacrifices-of-our-heroes/", "Kelly,\u00a0Colleagues Push to Stop Trump from Hiding the True Cost of the Iran War and Dishonoring the Sacrifices of Our Heroes", "2026-08-07", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "AZ", "Mark Kelly", "K000377", "www.kelly.senate.gov", "markkelly", "https://www.kelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "Senators Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and 16 of their Senate Democratic colleagues introduced the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act, legislation that would stop Donald Trump\u2019s attempt to hide how long his illegal war against Iran has lasted, dishonor the sacrifice of our troops injured and killed in combat, and hide the true cost of his war from the American people.\n\nThe bill introduction comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in Trump\u2019s Iran war\u2014including four killed and over 200 wounded servicemembers\u2014under a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in a shameless attempt to downplay the damage done and evade accountability to the American people.\n\nKelly has been outspoken about the war since it began, criticizing the administration for launching it without a clearly defined strategy or exit plan. In July, Kelly demanded from Pete Hegseth a full and accurate accounting of all servicemembers who were killed, wounded, and injured in support or in connection with Operation Epic Fury.\n\n\u201cEvery American who puts on the uniform and serves our country deserves to have their sacrifice recognized and their family deserves every benefit they\u2019ve earned. No administration should be able to hide the true human cost of war by reclassifying casualties or manipulating the record,\u201d said Kelly. \u201cThose killed, wounded, or injured must be counted and honored, and their families and the American people deserve an honest accounting of what happened.\u201d\n\n\u201cI refuse to let Donald Trump dishonor the service of our heroes just because it benefits him politically to lie about the length of this illegal campaign and hide the true cost of his war from the American people,\u201d said Duckworth. \u201cTrump knows his war of choice is unpopular, which is why he\u2019s manipulating casualty records to try and fool the public into believing it\u2019s been less of a disaster. It\u2019s an insult to our fallen heroes, and it could jeopardize the benefits of troops and civilians he continues to put in harm\u2019s way. Our brave men and women in uniform deserve accountability, not a Commander in Chief who plays games with their sacrifices.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt is a disgrace that this administration is trying to hide deaths of the men and women who gave their lives serving this country,\u201d said Gallego. \u201cTrump has got us into another forever war that has jacked up gas prices, and instead of being focused on ending it, he is fudging the numbers for good PR. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation so that our servicemembers and their families are never disrespected like this again.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s outrageous the Administration would try to shortchange our troops and their families from receiving the full benefits that they have earned through service and sacrifice,\u201d said Shaheen. \u201cBecause President Trump and Secretary Hegseth started a war they don\u2019t know how to end, they\u2019re trying to obscure the real costs of it\u2014all while service members\u2019 benefits hang in the balance. Our bill would ensure these brave patriots and their families receive the full support that they are due.\u201d\n\n\u201cTime and time again the Trump Administration has contradicted themselves, withheld information, and misled Congress and the American people about the reality of this war,\u201d said Peters. \u201cThey are failing the brave men and women who selflessly put themselves in harm\u2019s way to keep us safe. I\u2019m proud to support this bill because the American people deserve answers and the roughly 40,000 U.S. servicemembers serving in the region deserve leadership.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhile the Trump regime claims to support our servicemembers, their actions tell a far more sinister story,\u201d said Hirono. \u201cInstead of honoring the brave servicemembers who are being killed and injured, this regime is obscuring the truth and hiding the real cost of this illegal war\u2014all to evade accountability from the American people. This regime claims to value transparency, and this legislation demands they actually deliver it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe owe our servicemembers a debt that we can never truly repay,\u201d said Van Hollen. \u201cInstead of honoring them, Trump and Secretary Hegseth are manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits servicemembers and their families are owed for their sacrifices. Trump\u2019s illegal Iran war has been a complete blunder \u2013 and we cannot let this Administration harm military families in an attempt to hide from their mistakes. With this legislation, we ensure our men and women in uniform are shown the respect they deserve and that they receive the full honors and benefits that they and their families are owed.\u201d\n\n\u201cTrump\u2019s illegal war with Iran has cost us dearly, and now he\u2019s trying to rewrite history to better serve his agenda,\u201d said Merkley. \u201cI\u2019m holding in my heart the families and loved ones of the American servicemembers killed in Iran and will keep pushing to end Trump\u2019s war of choice.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Trump Administration\u2019s decision to reclassify the deaths of four service members and the injuries of more than 200 is not only dishonest; it is an affront to the service and sacrifice these men and women, and their families, have made,\u201d said Bennet. \u201cOur legislation will stop this administration from obscuring the continuing cost of President Trump\u2019s ongoing war with Iran and, more importantly, will provide confirmation that those who have answered the call to duty and their families will receive the rightful benefits and recognition they are owed.\u201d\n\n\u201cManipulating casualty records for political purposes is a despicable disservice to brave heroes,\u201d said Blumenthal. \u201cPresident Trump\u2019s denial of rightful status to four American servicemembers killed during the war in Iran is not only disrespectful \u2013 it could also deprive them and their families of benefits and recognition. There is no reason for this abhorrent action other than obfuscating and concealing the true costs of war \u2013 and it must be stopped.\u201d\n\n\u201cI join Senator Duckworth\u2019s effort to honor the solemn promise we make to our fallen heroes and servicemembers and make sure they aren\u2019t caught up in the Trump administration\u2019s lies around the Iran War,\u201d said Kim. \u201cWe must take steps to ensure political charades never get in the way of the benefits our military and their families deserve and ensure no administration going forward can manipulate service records.\u201d\n\n\u201cTime and again, this Administration has tried to conceal its failures in Iran behind the courage of the brave Americans it placed in harm\u2019s way,\u201d said Alsobrooks. \u201cNow it is attempting to obscure the deaths and injuries of our service members\u2014and that is not only hypocritical, but unconscionable. Our legislation demands accountability. It will restore casualty records, ensure the American people are told the truth about this war, and secure the benefits and honors our military and civilian personnel have earned. We will not allow any Administration to diminish the service, sacrifice, or memory of those who answered our nation\u2019s call.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnyone who steps up to serve our nation and put themselves in harm\u2019s way deserves our utmost respect and gratitude,\u201d said Schatz. \u201cThe Trump administration\u2019s attempts to hide the true death toll in the war on Iran and jeopardize hard-earned benefits for troops and civilians is shameful. Our bill will help ensure the integrity of casualty records and protect benefits for those who serve.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nTo ban the Secretary of Defense from hiding the true cost of war, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act specifically:\n\nBans Arbitrary, Unjustified Recategorizing of Designated Contingency Operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy;\n\nPrevents Manipulation of Casualty Records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation;\n\nRestores Casualty Records of Our Fallen and Wounded Heroes in the Iran War by requiring restoration of casualty records for Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026, and notify next-of-kin about the correction;\n\nBans Cutting Hard-Earned Benefits for Troops and Civilian Personnel by prohibiting the modification of eligibility for deployment-related personnel benefits on the basis of falsely redesignating a contingency operation; and\n\nRestores Benefits to Personnel Supporting Iran War by retroactively restoring all covered benefits entitled to members of the Armed Services and civilian employees who have supported Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026.\n\nIn addition to Kelly and Duckworth, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act is cosponsored by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Gary Peters (D-MI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), John Fetterman (D-PA), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV).", 1, "2026-08-08T05:41:38Z", "2026-08-08T05:43:24Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.kelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/kelly-colleagues-push-to-stop-trump-from-hiding-the-true-cost-of-the-iran-war-and-dishonoring-the-sacrifices-of-our-heroes/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3110151048749685, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}