Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
US President Donald Trump’s administration on Wednesday asked Congress to approve an additional $87.6 billion in funding, with the bulk of the request tied to the ongoing Iran war, setting up another confrontation with lawmakers increasingly uneasy about the conflict.
The supplemental request, submitted to Congress and published by the White House, includes $67.15 billion for defence spending. This comes on top of nearly $1 trillion already approved last year and another $1.5 trillion the administration is seeking for the next fiscal cycle.
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According to the White House, the additional military funding would cover operational costs linked to the war, military readiness, replenishment of weapons stockpiles and classified defence programmes. Of the total, $21 billion has been earmarked for munitions procurement, strengthening domestic defence production and supporting critical military capabilities.
The request arrives amid rising resistance on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, the Senate passed a war powers resolution directing Trump to halt military action against Iran, weeks after a similar measure cleared the House. A small group of Republicans joined Democrats in backing the move.
Political tensions intensified further during a Republican meeting at the Capitol on Wednesday, where Trump reportedly clashed with Senator Bill Cassidy, one of the Republicans who supported the resolution.
Lawmakers from both parties have criticised the administration for not adequately briefing Congress on the conflict and questioned whether executive actions have bypassed constitutional limits on war powers.
TOUGH VOTE FOR REPUBLICANS AS MIDTERMS LOOM
The funding request could become politically difficult for Republicans as public support for the war remains weak ahead of November’s midterm elections.
Democrats argued that the administration should prioritise domestic economic concerns rather than expanding war spending. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticised the request, while Senator Patty Murray said military personnel must be supported but warned against approving additional war funding without scrutiny.
Beyond defence spending, the package includes $1.4 billion to respond to the Ebola outbreak in Africa, $11.1 billion in support for U.S. farmers, $1 billion for pension assistance to former Delphi workers, $500 million for construction projects around Washington and another $1 billion for reconstruction work at New York’s Penn Station.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
