U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday urged Congress to quickly pass the 83.4-billion-U.S.-dollar war budget to fund operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as aid to Pakistan.
"I urge you to take up this bill and pass it as quickly as possible, but not later than Memorial Day (May 25)," Gates said at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.
The defense chief noted that as Taliban militants surged in Afghanistan, U.S. troops in the neighboring country, Pakistan, were running out of fund by mid May.
However, Senator Daniel Inouye, the committee chairman, did not say when the budget request would be approved. He just said that he believes his floor "is likely to be supportive of this request."
U.S. President Barack Obama earlier requested for 83.4 billion dollars to fund war operations and other military projects for the fiscal year 2009, including 38 billion dollars for the U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The White House also asked for 400 million dollars for counterinsurgency assistance and 1.4 billion dollars in economic aid for Pakistan.
Source: Xinhua
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