{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.kelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/kelly-sasc-democrats-call-on-chairman-wicker-to-hold-a-hearing-on-the-trump-administrations-worsening-strain-on-troops-from-extended-war-in-iran/", "Kelly, SASC Democrats Call on\u00a0Chairman\u00a0Wicker to Hold a Hearing on the Trump Administration\u2019s Worsening Strain on Troops from Extended War in Iran", "2026-08-24", "2026", "2026-08", "Democrat", "Senate", "AZ", "Mark Kelly", "K000377", "www.kelly.senate.gov", "markkelly", "https://www.kelly.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/", "scraper", "The senators\u2019 letter comes after a series of reports detailing servicemembers on ships like USS Lincoln and bases abroad enduring dwindling supplies and deteriorating conditions on extended deployments with no end in sight\n\nToday, U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and his Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Democratic colleagues urged Committee Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) to hold a hearing to investigate the Trump Administration\u2019s failures to support our servicemembers who are carrying out indefinite extended deployments in the unauthorized, disastrous Iran war that President Trump cannot seem to end.\n\nThe senators highlighted how this Administration\u2019s failure to end the war in Iran has taken a physical, emotional, and mental toll on deployed troops, even beyond the disturbing conditions aboard the USS Lincoln\u2014with dwindling supplies and deteriorating conditions aboard numerous ships and across bases in the region. The American people and military families deserve answers on how the Trump administration intends to break a cycle crushing morale, stranding our troops in grim conditions, and leaving families unsure how to make ends meet while their loved ones in uniform serve longer extended deployments with no end in sight.\n\n\u201cThe toll this unauthorized, disastrous war is taking on our troops is unconscionable,\u201d said the senators. \u201cTroops are suffering because of this Administration\u2019s inability to end this war or make the environment safe enough for our servicemembers to be delivered the food, medication or supplies they need.\u201d\n\nThe SASC Democrats also raised serious concerns that these ongoing incidents could have direct consequences on our nation\u2019s ability to recruit and retain members of our military: \u201cMilitary families and the American people deserve answers about when our heroes will come home and how DoD plans to restore military readiness that has been drained by this war. Supply shortages and unjustified extended deployments also have a real impact on our ability to recruit and retain our servicemembers \u2013 why would anyone sign up to fight when they fear they will be exploited and left without supplies, recourse or support? Not only do we owe our troops the bare minimum respect and support they deserve, but it is a recruitment and retention imperative.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe stakes couldn\u2019t be higher. The longer this Administration fails to articulate a plan to end this disastrous war, the longer our brave servicemembers will pay the price,\u201d they said.\n\nThis letter follows Kelly\u2019s recent public warnings on the toll of the extended Iran war. Last week, Kelly blasted Hegseth\u2019s dismissive response to the mental health crisis aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. He also warned that Trump\u2019s cascading foreign policy failures\u2014from the war in Iran, the threats of military action against Oman, to the deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Lincoln and the order to reduce U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises\u2014are putting American servicemembers at greater risk.", 1, "2026-08-25T05:31:37Z", "2026-08-25T05:33:09Z"]], "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-sasc-democrats-call-on-chairman-wicker-to-hold-a-hearing-on-the-trump-administrations-worsening-strain-on-troops-from-extended-war-in-iran/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3419708702713251, "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"}