FY2004 Supplemental Appropriations for Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Global War on Terrorism: Military Operations & Reconstruction Assistance

Publication Date: October 2003

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: International relations; Military and defense

Type:

Coverage: Afghanistan Iraq

Abstract:

In a nationwide address on September 7, 2003, the President announced that he would request an additional $87 billion for ongoing military operations and for reconstruction assistance in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. On September 17, the White House submitted a formal request for FY2004 supplemental appropriations of that amount to Congress. Administration officials have said that they would like to see congressional action on the request completed some time before October 24, when an international donors conference is scheduled in Madrid to seek pledges of economic assistance for Iraq. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Bill Young has recently said that he hopes to have a conference report on supplemental appropriations completed by then.

The House Appropriations Committee marked up its version of a supplemental appropriations bill for defense and for reconstruction (H.R. 3289) on October 9, and floor action began on October 15. The Senate Appropriations Committee marked up its version of a supplemental appropriations bill, S. 1689, on September 30, and the full Senate began floor debate on the bill on October 1. The Senate resumed consideration of the measure on October 14.

A wide range of legislative measures addressing costs, burden sharing, and other issues have been considered in congressional action. Proposals have included measures providing part or all of reconstruction aid to Iraq as loans rather than grants; conditioning funds on strict reporting requirements; requiring the president to make greater efforts to increase international assistance; rolling back tax cuts to pay for the bill; shifting funds from Iraq reconstruction to domestic programs; transferring control of Iraq reconstruction from the Defense Department to the State Department; requiring competition in contracts in Iraq; increasing personnel benefits for deployed troops; and providing reconstruction assistance to Liberia.