WASHINGTON (AP) – President Barack Obama has asked Congress for $11.6 billion in additional war-related funding, including money to fight Islamic militants, sustain higher overseas troop levels, and modernize the Afghan military’s helicopter fleet.
The request was sent to lawmakers for consideration during the lame-duck session that starts next week. It’s evenly divided between the Pentagon and the State Department and foreign aid accounts related to battling Islamic State militants.
The military portion includes $2.5 billion to maintain elevated U.S. troops levels of 8,400 in Afghanistan as announced over the summer. About $383 million would pay for air strikes against IS.
The request would mean a total of $85 billion in war-related funding for the budget year that started in October.