Fund for U.S. Operations in Iraq Proposed

Lawmakers are considering setting up a special reserve fund to pay for U.S. military operations in Iraq, which would avert the need for President Bush to formally request extra Iraq funds before the November election.

“Some of us are talking about the prospect of, not a supplemental, but a pool of ... emergency money that we would control,” said Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands), chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee.

The Bush administration has said it would not need to ask for additional funds for the Iraq occupation until early next year.

But some members of Congress worry that because of continuing violence, money could run short during Congress’ scheduled recess from October through much of January.

Under the reserve fund plan, Lewis said, congressional leaders could release money to the Pentagon if it needs it while Congress is gone.

He said amounts had not been discussed, but he estimated that the fund would be well below the roughly $50 billion the White House has said it would seek for Iraq operations next year. Many lawmakers and analysts have predicted at least $75 billion will be required.

The two spending bills so far for about $160 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan cleared Congress by wide margins.

Democratic Reps. David R. Obey of Wisconsin, ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, and John P. Murtha of Pennsylvania, ranking member of the defense subcommittee, were reviewing the plan, a committee aide said.

Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, this month said that the military chiefs, when they last discussed the issue, saw a $4-billion shortfall for this year.