NY Times re Hegseth today. I hope Congress votes down the request.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, under questioning from lawmakers, said on Tuesday that the Defense Department’s latest estimate of the cost of the Iran war [so far] was $37.5 billion....

Hegseth is asking for a $1.5 trillion defense budget and nearly $70 billion in funding for the Iran war, which has gone on far longer than Hegseth earlier predicted. The war continues with no end in sight....

Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, asked Hegseth if the administration believes it does not need authorization from Congress to continue hostilities against Iran. Hegseth replied that the administration believes it has the authority needed. Murkowski then pressed Hegseth on whether the Defense Department would view Congress passing an emergency supplemental funding bill as a “substitute” for explicit congressional authorization of the war. Hegseth demurred.