ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 23, 1991                   TAG: 9102230127
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

BUSH ASKS CONGRESS FOR $15 BILLION FOR WAR

President Bush Friday asked Congress for $15 billion to pay the U.S. share of the cost of the Persian Gulf War, which Pentagon officials estimate could be as high as $77 billion.

Bush also is seeking open-ended authority to use foreign contributions for the war effort. The request included the latest accounting of those donations, showing that the United States has received only $14.9 billion of the $53.5 billion in cash, supplies and services that U.S. allies have pledged to help pay the costs of operations since August.

"We expect the commitments to be honored," Office of Management and Budget Director Richard Darman told reporters Friday. Another $1.7 billion will be received as soon as the Pentagon sends the donor country a bill, he said.

If the war ends by March 31, the $15 billion from the U.S. Treasury and the funds pledged by the allies should cover the U.S. share of costs in the current fiscal year, which began Oct. 1, Darman said. Otherwise, it may be necessary to seek more money from both foreign countries and U.S. taxpayers, he said. - The Washington Post 


 by CNB