The Trump administration has requested Congress authorize $87.6 billion in immediate appropriations, most of which reimburses the costs of Operation Epic Fury and boosts Pentagon funding. The long-awaited war supplemental comes after the U.S. signed a 60-day peace plan with Iran and also lists a plethora of unrelated policy asks.

Concerns Over Unrelated Riders

Besides $67 billion for the Department of War, the administration asks Congress to authorize year-round E15 gasoline sales, loosen restrictions on hemp-derived cannabinoid products, and fund pensions for employees of a failed automotive company. Congressional Republican leaders have expressed openness to covering the costs of the Iran conflict, which began Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran.

Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee said they will “continue working to ensure our military remains ready, our deterrent remains credible, and our nation is secure.” However, congressional Democrats are bristling at the request, arguing that taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be used to finance the administration’s unauthorized military hostilities.

Democratic Opposition

Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., posted on social media Thursday, “Our nation’s military has real needs, from filling munitions backlogs to protecting our troops and bases from modern drone warfare. But the administration’s supplemental accomplishes few of those goals.” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, plans to “closely review this request in its entirety and ensure we take care of our servicemembers, but I will not rubberstamp tens of billions more for this disastrous war of choice.”

The Congressional Progressive Caucus, composed of nearly 100 Democratic lawmakers, officially announced Thursday that it opposes “any supplemental funding” so long as the conflict remains unauthorized by Congress.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.