White House seeks $87.6B from Congress for Iran war costs, U.S. farmers and Ebola response

By — Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press Lisa Mascaro, Associated Press By — Kevin Freking, Associated Press Kevin Freking, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/white-house-seeks-87-6b-from-congress-for-iran-war-costs-u-s-farmers-and-ebola-response Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter White House seeks $87.6B from Congress for Iran war costs, U.S. farmers and Ebola response Politics Jun 24, 2026 5:52 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House has formally requested $87.6 billion mostly to replenish the Pentagon after the U.S. war against Iran, submitting the request to Congress at a politically difficult time as Republican and Democratic lawmakers have objected to any further military action. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. The Office of Management and Budget sent the supplemental spending request on Wednesday. It arrived just hours after President Donald Trump assailed Republican senators during a private lunch — engaging in a shouting match with one — over their votes to approve a war powers resolution that would halt further hostilities. The request is mostly for expenses incurred by the Defense Department as part of Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-led attack on Iran. But it also includes a range of other items, including aid to American farmers, help for the Ebola crisis in Africa, and other needs closer to home, including restoration projects in Washington, D.C. "I urge the Congress to take action on these important and urgent requests as soon as possible," said OMB Director Russ Vought in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson. It's unclear how quickly the House and Senate could act on the White House's request, or if Congress takes up the matter at all. The funding faces a difficult path because many lawmakers could view any votes as a reflection of test of their support for the war effort. READ MORE: Pentagon asks Congress for roughly $80 billion to cover cost of Iran war Yet the White House was clear to include provisions to interest lawmakers from various regions, including $1 billion to assist "the final design and construction of a modernized Penn Station in New York City," which would be of interest to the Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York. The administration said it is requesting $67 billion for the Department of Defense for what it said were urgent needs related to the war against Iran, including "funding for military personnel and readiness expenses, operational costs to rebuild stocks." It also wants $11.1 billion toward economic assistance for American farmers, $1.4 billion for the Ebola virus outbreak in Central Africa and requests $500 million to support ongoing efforts "to complete restoration and construction projects in and around Washington, D.C." The package also includes a collection