WASHINGTON — The Trump administration on Wednesday asked Congress for $87.6 billion in emergency supplemental funding to cover operations tied to the war in Iran and a range of other priorities.
The request, transmitted in a formal letter from White House Budget Director Russ Vought, combines large Defense Department needs with aid for farmers, public health responses, nuclear security, infrastructure projects and other domestic programs. Vought said the package would address “urgent needs” including support for an Ebola outbreak response and assistance to American farmers, and would fund Energy Department priorities tied to the National Nuclear Security Administration.
The request met skepticism from some Democrats and prompted calls for close scrutiny from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray (D-Wash.) criticized the package as an effort to secure “tens of billions of additional dollars for unrelated Pentagon priorities that should rightly be considered through the annual appropriations process.” Murray added she would “closely review this request” and would not “rubberstamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice.”
Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she would evaluate the supplemental request and plans to convene a committee hearing so senators can hear directly from administration officials.
Key items in the supplemental request include:
– $67.15 billion for the Defense Department, intended to cover operations related to the conflict in Iran and other defense requirements.
– $11.1 billion for the Agriculture Department to provide aid to farmers.
– $3.36 billion for the State Department to support diplomatic, security and global health programs.
– $2.03 billion for the U.S. Coast Guard.
– $1 billion for the Transportation Department to assist in final design and construction of a modernized Penn Station in New York City.
– $1 billion for the Labor Department to increase benefit levels for participants in certain pension plans tied to Delphi Corporation and affected by GM’s 2009 bankruptcy.
– $767.5 million for the Energy Department to support nuclear and other energy-security requirements, primarily for the National Nuclear Security Administration.
– $600 million for the General Services Administration’s federal buildings fund for restoration and construction projects in and around Washington, D.C.
– $500 million for the National Park Service to repair a seawall and improve the World War II Memorial.
– $40.26 million for the FBI for its role related to the Iran conflict and “other classified needs.”
– $36.18 million for the Treasury Department’s Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence.
– $13.1 million for the Department of Homeland Security’s operations and support account, listed as part of a classified request.
The supplemental also seeks money for additional construction and restoration projects in the Washington area and other classified activities tied to national security operations.
With Democrats likely needing to join Republicans to pass any emergency funding, the administration faces a potentially difficult path to approval. Lawmakers from both parties have signaled they will scrutinize the package’s mix of wartime costs and unrelated domestic programs, and committees are expected to hold hearings and reviews before any bill moves forward.
(Reporting summarized from the administration request and statements by congressional leaders.)
