President Donald Trump asked Congress for nearly $88 billion Wednesday to help cover the costs of the Iran war, aid farmers and combat the Ebola virus.
The request had long been expected, given the expenses incurred during the four-month conflict in the Middle East. But the package — which needs at least some bipartisan support to pass the Senate — faces an uphill fight as lawmakers in both parties are increasingly wary of major new expenditures amid a deeply unpopular war.
The proposal includes $67.1 billion for the Pentagon, including $21 billion for munitions to rebuild stockpiles of missiles used in the conflict. It also includes $17.3 billion for operations, $1.7 billion for military readiness and $1.5 billion for fuel costs.
That defense package also includes $2.4 billion for drones and $5.1 billion for cybersecurity and autonomy efforts. $12.1 billion of the request would go toward classified programs.
Many Democrats, who oppose the war and contend the conflict is illegal, are almost certain to object to spending such a substantial sum.
The request for tens of billions of dollars in extra war spending comes as Trump pushes for a record-breaking $1.5 trillion military budget, a roughly 50 percent hike from this year’s level. Democrats have balked at the historic request as wasteful and criticized Trump and Republicans for simultaneously pushing to slash domestic programs.
The package Trump sent to lawmakers, however, is significantly less than the approximately $200 billion the Trump administration was reportedly weighing in recent months.
The measure also includes $11.1 billion in farm assistance, in the form of direct aid to farmers impacted by Trump’s tariffs, higher costs and weather-related disasters in Florida.
Farm-state Republicans in the Senate have been seeking $17.2 billion for key agriculture industries in their states and plan to boost the farm funding beyond the White House’s proposal, according to four people with direct knowledge of the matter, granted anonymity to discuss sensitive spending issues.
The request lands as Trump is attempting to convince lawmakers and the American public that a peace deal is at hand after U.S. and Iranian officials inked a memorandum of understanding earlier this month.
But the White House proposal could complicate House Republicans’ pursuit of a third party-line spending package, which was supposed to be centered around $350 billion in defense funding that Democrats wouldn’t support.
In the supplemental package, the administration also proposed $1.4 billion to respond to the Ebola virus outbreak in Central Africa. Another $500 million in the package would go toward restoration and construction projects in Washington, D.C. Trump also requested an extra $1 billion to aid in the design and construction of a modernized Penn Station in New York City.
The supplemental request also would update the statutory definition of hemp-derived cannabinoid products to create a regulatory framework that will allow consumers to access “appropriate full-spectrum CBD products” while preserving Congress’ intent to crack down on bad actors that have taken advantage of a loophole in the 2018 farm bill.
Senior appropriators Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) secured a provision in last year’s agriculture funding bill that would crack down on intoxicating hemp products that were legalized through the 2018 farm bill.
The hemp industry has warned that the provision, which is set to take effect in November, would effectively kill their business.
Trump’s request will also ask Congress to pass legislation to allow year-round sales of E15 fuel, a move farm-state Republicans have championed to boost corn farmers ahead of the midterms.
The legislation passed the House in May but has prompted an internal fight between Senate Republicans who are split over whether to side with oil or agriculture interests. Trump called on Congress in January to pass the E15 bill.
Jennifer Scholtes, Meredith Lee Hill and Katherine Tully-McManus contributed to this report.