Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer says he hopes war in Iran "gets resolved very soon"
Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, who serves as the Republican majority whip in Congress, said Friday that he hopes the war in Iran is short-lived, and "gets resolved very soon."
Emmer was with Rep. Pete Stauber for a round table discussion on reauthorizing a highway bill, which would help fund the Department of Transportation and highway improvement projects across the country.
WCCO's Frank Vascellaro had the chance to ask Emmer about the SAVE Act, the war in Iran and gas prices.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, otherwise known as the SAVE Act, would require proof of U.S. citizenship in order to vote.
The Trump administration says it would prevent non-citizens from voting in the 2026 midterms, but Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon says it would keep eligible voters from the polls, pointing to cost and accessibility issues.
"Most of us think that if you don't support some kind of identification requirement, you're in favor of less than fair and open elections," Emmer said. "The SAVE Act is necessary especially right here in Minnesota."
Non-citizen voting is also extremely rare. According to a University of St. Thomas study, there were only three instances of non-citizens voting in Minnesota between 2014 and 2024 out of 13.4 million ballots cast.
When asked about the president sending more Marines to the Middle East, Emmer said he was "not even going to get into that."
"I think the President has made it clear that he is ending a war that's been going on for 47 years. I think that Pete and I, and everybody we work with, and all Americans hope that this mission is short-lived and that it accomplishes the goal, which is making sure Iran never has nuclear abilities to attack the United States or United States' interests here and around the world," Emmer said.
Late Friday, CBS News reported the Trump administration has been strategizing methods to secure Iran's nuclear materials, though the timing of an operation remains unclear.
"So far, I think the President has overwhelming support for what he is doing. The good news is we have a Commander and Chief that makes decisions and so far, so good. Let's hope this gets resolved very soon," Emmer said.
Emmer said he also had "some concerns" about the price of gas, which according to AAA, reached $3.44 a gallon in Minnesota. Globally prices have jumped more than 40% since the war closed the Straight of Hormuz.
"People should remember that under the Joe Biden four years, gas was still a buck and a half, two bucks more a gallon than you are seeing right now," Emmer said.
According to a CBS News price tracker, gas prices reached $4.31 nationally in March of 2022.
"This is a short duration event. Assuming that the mission is resolved in short order you will see these prices tumble down again," Emmer said.