By Kathryn McConnell
Washington File staff writer

Washington -- President Bush March 25 asked Congress for $74,700 million more funding for the current fiscal year ending September 30 to pay for costs related to the war in Iraq and to anti-terrorism efforts.

The request includes $53,000 million for military operational support and approximately $5,000 million in bilateral assistance to countries supporting the global war on terrorism, and $2,500 million for humanitarian assistance and reconstruction in Iraq, according to a senior administration official.

The Iraq aid funds will be used to provide food, water, medicine and clothing to the people of Iraq and to repair damaged infrastructure and restore essential government services, according to a White House fact sheet.

Countries to receive the additional aid in the form of loan guarantees and grants include Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Pakistan, Egypt, Afghanistan and the Philippines, the official said.

"We are going to push for prompt and full congressional passage [of the request]," said a Pentagon official speaking to reporters March 24.

The request seeks $1,600 million to support coalition forces assisting the United States in Iraq. "We value the contributions of our coalition partners, the Pentagon official said. "We continue to look for more and stronger international support," the official added.

Included in the $1,600 million for coalition support is funding for global counter-drug activities with a focus on Colombia, the official said.

The request also includes $489.3 million for emergency fire fighting and oil field repairs, the official said.

"The oil assets of Iraq are for the benefit of the Iraqi people. ... [W]e will see them being used to rebuild and reconstruct the country," the administration official said.

The administration has not yet budgeted for the global war on terrorism or military operations in Iraq for the 2004 fiscal year beginning October 1, 2003, the Pentagon official said. "How could we budget for something we didn't know would happen?" the official asked.

The administration is recommending that approximately 96 percent of the requested supplemental 2003 funding be put into a "defense emergency response fund" allowing maximum flexibility to transfer funds among accounts based on actual war requirements, the official said.

The request includes $4,000 million for homeland security, including $2,000 million to be distributed to states and localities, $500 million for the Justice Department, and additional funds for the Coast Guard, according to the administration official.

The military operations amount includes funds for "stabilization" efforts that would last several months, the official said.