OMB Urges Congress To Approve Supplemental Funding

The Defense Department will have to furlough civilian employees if Congress fails to approve a White House request for an additional $102 billion by Memorial Day to pay for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Office of Management and Budget said in a May 5 statement. The money would sustain efforts in the war on terror through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The Bush administration submitted the request for the additional funds on May 2. While most of the $70 billion would go to DoD, the State Department and other international operations would receive $4 billion. A day after the OMB comments, Capitol Hill lawmakers informed Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that they intended to act on the request before they begin their Memorial Day recess.