Shaheen Helps Introduce Legislation to Stop the Trump Administration from Hiding the Human Cost of the Iran War
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee , joined 17 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would ban the U.S. Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our service members and public servants. The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in President Trump’s Iran war—including four killed and over 200 wounded service members—under a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in a shameless attempt to downplay the true cost of his disastrous conflict and evade accountability to the American people. “It’s 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,” said Senator Shaheen. “Because President Trump and Secretary Hegseth started a war they don’t know how to end, they’re trying to obscure the real costs of it—all while service members’ benefits hang in the balance. Our bill would ensure these brave patriots and their families receive the full support that they are due.” Specifically, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act would: Ban arbitrary, unjustified recategorizing of designated contingency operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy; Prevent manipulation of casualty records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation; Restore 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; Ban 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 restore 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. A copy of the legislation can be read HERE . The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act is endorsed by VoteVets and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Since President Trump began the war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Last month, Shaheen joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury. Shaheen also recently pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding. ###
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Shaheen Helps Introduce Legislation to Stop the Trump Administration from Hiding the Human Cost of the Iran War (Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee , joined 17 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would ban the U.S. Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our service members and public servants. The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in President Trump’s Iran war—including four killed and over 200 wounded service members—under a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in a shameless attempt to downplay the true cost of his disastrous conflict and evade accountability to the American people. “It’s 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,” said Senator Shaheen. “Because President Trump and Secretary Hegseth started a war they don’t know how to end, they’re trying to obscure the real costs of it—all while service members’ benefits hang in the balance. Our bill would ensure these brave patriots and their families receive the full support that they are due.” Specifically, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act would: Ban arbitrary, unjustified recategorizing of designated contingency operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy; Prevent manipulation of casualty records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation; Restore 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; Ban 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 restore 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. A copy of the legislation can be read HERE . The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act is endorsed by VoteVets and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA). Since President Trump began the war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Last month, Shaheen joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury. Shaheen also recently pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding. ###
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