Aides - Bush to ask for $74.7 billion for war on terrorism

WASHINGTON -- President Bush is expected to ask Congress for $74.7 billion to pay for the war with Iraq, assuming a month of combat, and for strengthening counterterrorism efforts at home, lawmakers and aides said Monday.

The money measure, which the president planned to describe to congressional leaders he invited to the White House, was dominated by $62.6 billion for the Department of Defense. It presumed the military effort to oust Iraqi President Saddam Hussein would take 30 days, aides said.

The request was also expected to include $4.2 billion for domestic security, chiefly for police and other so-called first responders. And it was to contain $7.8 billion for aid to Israel, Afghanistan and other U.S. allies, a down payment on humanitarian aid for Iraq and for rebuilding the country, and money to increase security for American diplomats.

At Monday's meeting, Bush was expected to ask congressional leaders to send him a completed version of the bill by April 11, when lawmakers are to begin their Easter recess. He is expected to send his recommendations to Capitol Hill as early as today.

Though lawmakers are eager to demonstrate their support for U.S. troops, Democrats and many Republicans are expected to have problems with parts of the proposal.

'Every single dime'

Of the $62.6 billion for the Defense Department, the administration is proposing setting aside $59.9 billion in an emergency reserve fund that the Pentagon could largely spend with limited input from Congress, said Democrats who said they were familiar with a preliminary version of the proposal.

"We need to provide every single dime the troops need, but I do think we need to know where it's going and for what purpose," said Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

Obey said that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld "wasn't appointed to be the U.S. Congress with the power of the purse. .... We're supposed to know what we're doing before we open the purse strings."

Democrats were also expected to complain that Bush's request had only $543 million in humanitarian aid for Iraq, $1.7 billion to rebuild the country and nothing for a peacekeeping effort after the war. Prior congressional and private estimates suggested the long-range expenses for those efforts would be many billions of dollars, though administration officials are hoping allied nations will help with the financing.

Democrats said they were also unhappy that the measure lacked additional money for other domestic programs such as tightening security at U.S. ports, borders, dams and facilities that generate radioactive materials.

Bush was preparing to send the Republican-controlled Congress his request just as lawmakers write a $2.2 trillion budget for 2004. The House and Senate versions both excluded any funds for a war, though Senate Democrats last week -- with support from three Republicans -- added $100 billion for the war in their chamber's version, taking the money from Bush's tax cut.

Democrats have complained repeatedly that the fiscal framework -- which controls new tax cuts proposed by Bush -- cannot be written without knowing what the war will cost. Some Democrats believe that information might undercut support for Bush's proposed tax reductions.

The administration had refused to provide its war estimate until now, arguing that there were too many uncertainties on the battlefield.

The requested defense funds will include $10.4 billion for the call-up of Reserves and National Guard troops and extra salary paid to troops in combat. It will include money for troops searching for terrorists in Afghanistan, the Philippines and elsewhere, said one congressional aide speaking on condition of anonymity.

Also included for the Pentagon will be $44.6 billion for operations and maintenance, and $6.5 billion for new munitions and for research and development.

Foreign aid will include $1 billion for grants and for federal backing of up to $9 billion in guaranteed loans for Israel; $1.1 billion for Jordan; less than $1 billion for Egypt and other funds for countries including Oman and Bahrain.

Afghanistan would get $400 million for humanitarian aid and economic development.

The measure will also contain $1 billion for Turkey. That country has balked at letting the United States base troops there for an invasion of Iraq from the north, but has allowed some U.S. use of its air space.

The request will also include $500 million to improve the FBI's domestic counterterrorism efforts, and about the same amount for the Coast Guard, which has some ships in the Persian Gulf region.

There is also $250 million for a fund the president can use to prevent and respond to terrorist activities, and $125 million for Congress to continue its operations in an emergency affecting the Capitol.

So far, the administration has decided to exclude aid for U.S. airlines, which have been lobbying Congress for assistance to help make up for business lost because of terrorism and the war with Iraq.

Among the chief proponents of such assistance has been House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., whose state is home to financially troubled United Airlines.