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On Politics

Thu Mar 12 2026

Zachary Schermele | Congressional Reporter

@zachschermele

Hello readers, and happy Thursday. Zach Schermele here, USA TODAY's congressional reporter, filling in for Kathryn Palmer. Greetings from the U.S. Capitol, where senators are leaving for the week. I just walked past Republican Sen. David McCormick donning workout gear, presumably on his way to the Senate's members-only gym. It's official: Both Pennsylvania senators wore athletic shorts at work today (Democrat John Fetterman has basketball shorts and a hoodie on regularly).

Let's dive into today's top politics stories.

Alaska Republican cautiously cites early Iran war price tag

My colleague Cybele Mayes-Osterman, our national security reporter, and I were among the first reporters to confirm yesterday that Pentagon officials told members of Congress this week that the war in Iran cost at least $11.3 billion in munitions alone the first week. That total, however, does not include money spent operating and maintaining the military force engaged in the war, or battle damage sustained from Iran's attacks. (The New York Times first reported the number.) Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski said in the halls of the Senate today that she doubted the early estimates of the war's price tag. "As we've seen in recent days, the level of activity has stepped up," she told a group of reporters. "I think it's hard to say what's the price per day right now, as we are still very much in the thick of it."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, speaks to reporters in the Senate subway during a vote on March 4.

Elizabeth Frantz, REUTERS

A politics roundup:

•	What is the Strait of Hormuz? Explaining the vital waterway
•	Did Trump endorse Jake Paul? Yes, but he isn't running for anything yet
•	Would the SAVE Act affect married women? See Karoline Leavitt's response
•	Iran's new supreme leader vows revenge

Gallery: Trump–Epstein statue recreates iconic Titanic scene of Jack and Rose

Senate passes big housing reform bill

The Senate overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan housing reform bill today, as both parties attempt to hold a laser focus on affordability issues ahead of the midterm elections. The legislation, part of an effort to bring down home costs for everyday Americans, would mostly ban large institutional investors from competing with traditional buyers for existing single-family homes, a priority President Donald Trump raised during his recent State of the Union address. Though the legislation is supported by the White House, the fate of a vote in the House of Representatives is less certain at the moment, given the lack of universal support among Republicans in that chamber as conservatives have pushed back over a provision related to digital currency.

War, long TSA lines raise stakes to end DHS shutdown

The debates in the Senate were fierce this week as pressure mounted daily to end the monthlong Department of Homeland Security shutdown. Democrats today blocked a Republican bill to fully fund the agency while a deal over reforming immigration enforcement is negotiated with the White House. Increasingly long TSA lines and heightened terrorism threats amid the Iran war are intensifying the urgency to end the political showdown. Still, there are no signs yet that the two sides are closer. The ouster of Kristi Noem was a positive change for Democrats, though. Her replacement, Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, will have a confirmation hearing next Wednesday.

Thanks for reading! Scroll down for more stories. You can reach me by email at zschermele@usatoday.com. Follow me on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.