White House Seeks $87.6 Billion Supplemental Spending Package
The White House on Wednesday asked Congress to approve $87.6 billion in supplemental spending, with funds directed toward the Iran war, agricultural assistance, public health response, energy security, and infrastructure projects.
Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought submitted the request in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, urging lawmakers to act quickly. Congress would need to formally appropriate the money before any funds could be spent.
The largest portion of the request includes $21 billion for the Defense Department. According to the administration, the money would support military capabilities, munitions procurement, and the U.S. defense industrial base. The request follows earlier comments from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who said in March that the Pentagon could seek as much as $200 billion for the Iran war, which began Feb. 28.
Other parts of the package include $1.4 billion for Ebola response efforts and $768 million for the Energy Department for nuclear and energy security programs. The White House also requested $10 billion in aid for U.S. farmers, $500 million for restoration and construction projects in Washington, D.C., and $1 billion for renovations at New York City’s Penn Station.
The proposal drew immediate criticism from congressional Democrats. Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the president was asking taxpayers to fund a war she argued lacked congressional authorization and public support. She also pointed to existing Pentagon funding that remains unspent.
Republican appropriators responded by emphasizing Congress’s role in funding national defense. House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole of Oklahoma and Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Ken Calvert of California said lawmakers have a constitutional responsibility to ensure the military has the resources needed to address threats.
The request could become a significant issue as Congress considers federal spending priorities ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.