Patrick Ryan, a New York Democrat and Iraq war veteran, focuses on defense and war policy, arguing from his own military service and the costs of war — both in casualties and in taxpayer dollars. He opposes the current war in Iran and pushes concrete measures such as his No Funds for Iran War Act and a motion to recommit, tying military spending to what he calls the need to lower costs at home instead. He speaks forcefully and personally, framing his opposition as a matter of constitutional war powers and loyalty to service members, and he criticizes the President and the majority sharply — including for ‘culture-war BS’ — while still appealing to bipartisan support for his own provisions. His claims are often grounded in specific figures and events, though his framing of opponents as inexperienced or betraying their promises leans on rhetoric as much as evidence; the sample of statements available is small, so this read is provisional.Written by AI from their statements. Updated .
“I want the House to pass this legislation. The Constitution gives Congress, not the president alone, the power to send our country to war.”
“Mr. Chair, truly, especially to my colleagues of both parties who have worn the uniform of this country, it is foundational and enshrined in our Constitution that it is this body that has say, not a single, unitary executive, to send us to war. This legislation is common sense and bipartisan. I urge my colleagues to support it.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Chair, truly, especially to my colleagues of both parties who have worn the uniform of this country, it is foundational and enshrined in our Constitution that it is this body that has say, not a single, unitary executive, to send us to war. This legislation is common sense and bipartisan. I urge my colleagues to support it.
“I oppose this defense bill and will ask the House to send it back to committee. It spends too much money on the war with Iran. I want to stop all funding for this war and spend that money helping Americans with their daily living costs instead.”
“Madam Chair, I thank our esteemed ranking member for his leadership. I am here to speak in strong opposition to the entire bill, but I do have to say: To see folks who have never worn the uniform on this House floor try to fight culture-war BS when we are in the middle of an actual war is a grave, grave disservice to those in uniform. My opposition to this bill is deeply personal. It is personal to me. Having served 27 months in combat in Iraq, I watched us double down on a losing strategy year after year while my friends and fellow soldiers, many of whose names are on this memorial bracelet I wear, fought and died. It is personal to the now 18 families who lost their loved ones in this reckless war in Iran--sons, daughters, husbands, wives, somebody’s whole world. It is personal to the hundreds more wounded, many carrying injuries that will last their entire lives from this war. It is personal to the American people, people who are working hard, doing everything that they are asked, while watching the cost of their gas, their groceries, and their utility bills skyrocket; watching the President and Hegseth spend over $100 billion of their hard-earned taxpayer dollars while they continue to flail and fail. Now they are trying to ask for another $1.5 trillion of my constituents’--our constituents’ taxpayer dollars to double down on this reckless, ill-conceived war. This is a straight-up betrayal from a President, by the way, who promised to end wars, not start wars; a President who has never spent a single day in uniform but is more than willing to send other people’s kids to fight in his wars; a President who is now blatantly disregarding the widely held will of the American people and the bipartisan view of this Congress as recognizing the successful passage of a War Powers Resolution by escalating this war rather than winding it down. We can’t let that happen. On behalf of all of our constituents, on behalf of the American people, we have to stop throwing good money after bad. We have to stop repeating the mistakes of the forever wars that my generation fought and served in. That is why I have been fighting to include my No Funds for Iran War Act in this NDAA, to make sure we don’t spend a single penny more on this reckless forever war in the Middle East; to make sure we are investing here at home to lower housing costs, lower grocery costs, lower utility costs, and lower healthcare costs. That is what the American people want. That is what I am fighting for, and that is what my colleagues here are fighting for. Unfortunately, Mr. Chair, since the majority has refused to include my provision in this bill, I do plan to offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment.”
Official Congressional Record
Madam Chair, I thank our esteemed ranking member for his leadership. I am here to speak in strong opposition to the entire bill, but I do have to say: To see folks who have never worn the uniform on this House floor try to fight culture-war BS when we are in the middle of an actual war is a grave, grave disservice to those in uniform. My opposition to this bill is deeply personal. It is personal to me. Having served 27 months in combat in Iraq, I watched us double down on a losing strategy year after year while my friends and fellow soldiers, many of whose names are on this memorial bracelet I wear, fought and died. It is personal to the now 18 families who lost their loved ones in this reckless war in Iran--sons, daughters, husbands, wives, somebody’s whole world. It is personal to the hundreds more wounded, many carrying injuries that will last their entire lives from this war. It is personal to the American people, people who are working hard, doing everything that they are asked, while watching the cost of their gas, their groceries, and their utility bills skyrocket; watching the President and Hegseth spend over $100 billion of their hard-earned taxpayer dollars while they continue to flail and fail. Now they are trying to ask for another $1.5 trillion of my constituents’--our constituents’ taxpayer dollars to double down on this reckless, ill-conceived war. This is a straight-up betrayal from a President, by the way, who promised to end wars, not start wars; a President who has never spent a single day in uniform but is more than willing to send other people’s kids to fight in his wars; a President who is now blatantly disregarding the widely held will of the American people and the bipartisan view of this Congress as recognizing the successful passage of a War Powers Resolution by escalating this war rather than winding it down. We can’t let that happen. On behalf of all of our constituents, on behalf of the American people, we have to stop throwing good money after bad. We have to stop repeating the mistakes of the forever wars that my generation fought and served in. That is why I have been fighting to include my No Funds for Iran War Act in this NDAA, to make sure we don’t spend a single penny more on this reckless forever war in the Middle East; to make sure we are investing here at home to lower housing costs, lower grocery costs, lower utility costs, and lower healthcare costs. That is what the American people want. That is what I am fighting for, and that is what my colleagues here are fighting for. Unfortunately, Mr. Chair, since the majority has refused to include my provision in this bill, I do plan to offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee, and I urge my colleagues to support it. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment.
