The White House submitted a $92.2 billion FY2006 supplemental spending request yesterday, which includes $72.4 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and intelligence activities, and $19.8 billion for Gulf Coast rebuilding costs. The Pentagon, which currently spends about $6.8 billion per month, will receive $65.3 billion to get through the current fiscal year.

The budget reconciliation bill passed by the House on February 1 was apparently different from the bill that was sent to President Bush for his signature. The discrepancy between the bills involves a provision that was intended to allow Medicare beneficiaries to purchase home-oxygen devices as opposed to paying endless rental fees. However, a clerical error made during the enrollment of the bill changed the policy to apply to practically all medical equipment. House and Senate aides are pointing fingers at each other for this change.

The White House has announce it will include an outline of approximately $140 billion in FY 2006 supplemental spending it is expected to request this year when it unveils its FY 2007 budget on Monday. The spending, which would go primarily to funding the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (86%), will also include additional funds for relief efforts along the Gulf Coast.