The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has requested congressional approval for $87.6 billion in additional spending, citing various justifications including the war against Iran.
The Office of Management and Budget, part of the executive branch, formally submitted the funding proposal on Wednesday. The office's director, Russell Vought, invited the House of Representatives to take up the request.
In a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Vought said, "I invite Congress to act on these important and urgent requests as soon as possible."
Majority of funds to Defense Department
Approximately $67 billion of the requested funds are allocated to the Defense Department to cover war-related needs. This budget includes "military personnel and readiness costs" and "operational costs for rebuilding stocks."
This request stands out as a more modest figure compared to the $200 billion supplemental funding request the Defense Department made earlier this year. However, with the midterm elections in November so close, it remains unclear whether there is political appetite to pass another major spending bill.
Follows immediately after war powers vote
The spending request came a day after Congress passed a war powers resolution calling on Trump to cease military activities against Iran or seek legislative approval. In the vote, four Republican senators crossed party lines to vote with Democrats.
This division within the Republican Party is seen as a reflection of the broader societal divide over the war with Iran. Polls show the war is unpopular among the American public.
Cassidy's direct response to Trump
The divisive nature of the war was also on display in Congress on Wednesday. After Trump attended a closed-door lunch for Senate Republicans as a guest, Senator Bill Cassidy, who supported the war powers resolution, reportedly defended his vote against the president.
Cassidy told reporters after the meeting, "I stood up and said, 'You haven't told the American people what's going on.' This was supposed to take four weeks. It's been four months. Our original objectives have not been met." The senator pledged to continue voting for war powers resolutions until Congress receives a full briefing on the war effort.
Reaction from Democrats and some Republicans
Democrats, however, said they would oppose the White House's funding request. Washington Senator Patty Murray called the proposal "an attempt to provide tens of billions in additional dollars for unrelated Pentagon priorities." Murray added, "I will closely examine this request in its entirety and I will protect our troops, but I will not blindly approve tens of billions more for this disastrous optional war."
On the other hand, the funding request also has supporters. Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole and California Representative Ken Calvert announced in a joint statement that they see the additional military funds as a valuable investment.
Other items in the package
Of the amount allocated to the Defense Department, $21 billion is planned for ammunition, $17.3 billion for operational costs, and $21.1 billion for classified programs. This comes on top of the $150 billion Congress approved for military spending last year.
However, Wednesday's supplemental spending proposal also includes other funds and measures that critics say could facilitate its passage. The package allocates $11.1 billion for farm aid, $1.4 billion for efforts to combat Ebola outbreaks in Africa, $1 billion for improvements to Penn Station in New York, and $500 million for restoration and construction work in Washington, DC.
