WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congressman Pat Ryan (NY-18) – an Iraq War combat veteran and the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress, along with 11 of his Democratic Veteran colleagues, introduced legislation this week to honor the sacrifices made by US troops in the Iran War, and stop President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s manipulation of records.
Ryan’s Honoring the Sacrifice of Troops in War Act would ban the Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of American servicemembers and public servants. The bill introduction comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in Trump’s Iran war. Casualties to date include four killed and over 200 wounded. The recent changes moved the casualty numbers to a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in what Rep. Ryan said is “a shameless attempt to downplay the damage done and evade accountability to the American people.”
“Every Patriot deployed to this war in Iran – the 50,000 still in theater, the hundreds wounded, and especially the 18 killed – are American heroes. They deserve to be honored as such – not swept under the rug by a President and SecDef so humiliated by their failure that they’d rather dishonor the troops than tell the truth,” said Congressman Pat Ryan.“It’s a total betrayal of our armed forces by the very people that swore to protect and do right by them. I’m proud to lead so many of my fellow veterans in Congress to make it clear we will not stand for the Trump Administration’s disgraceful disrespect of American heroes – before, during, or after their deployments.”
To ban the Secretary of Defense from hiding the true cost of war, the Honoring the Sacrifice of Troops in War Act specifically:
- Bans Arbitrary, Unjustified Recategorizing of Designated Contingency Operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy;
- Prevents Manipulation of Casualty Records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation;
- Restores 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;
- Bans 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
- Restores 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.
VoteVets and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) have endorsed the legislation.
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