WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has officially submitted an $87.6 billion emergency spending package to Congress, with the bulk of the funds intended to restock the Pentagon following the U.S. military campaign against Iran. The Office of Management and Budget delivered the supplemental funding request on Wednesday.
The timing is politically charged. Just hours before the request was sent, President Donald Trump clashed with Republican senators during a private lunch — reportedly getting into a shouting match with at least one lawmaker — over their votes in favor of a war powers resolution that would put a stop to any additional military action.
The largest portion of the package — $67 billion — is earmarked for the Department of Defense to cover what the administration describes as urgent needs tied to Operation Epic Fury, the name given to the Iran conflict. According to the administration, those funds would go toward “military personnel and readiness expenses, operational costs to rebuild stocks.”
Beyond the military spending, the request also includes financial assistance for American farmers, support for efforts to combat the Ebola crisis in Africa, and funding for restoration projects in Washington, D.C.
OMB Director Russ Vought sent a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson urging swift action. “I urge the Congress to take action on these important and urgent requests as soon as possible,” Vought wrote. Despite that appeal, a majority of lawmakers have already gone on record opposing any further military engagement.
