Today, Congress considers President Bush's request for approximately $82 billion in new funding for the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, disaster relief for last December's tsunami and other foreign policy priorities. The new chairman of the House Appropriations Committee warned his fellow members not to load down the supplemental with unrelated items that could impede its passage.

However, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Illinois)'s spokesman said the leadership intents to attach to the supplemental House passed HR 418 that would make broad changes to U.S. laws on asylum and border security.

Another issue that could hold up the bill's progress is the Pentagon's share of the sending request.

The House Appropriations Foreign Operations Subcommittee is scheduled to meet with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday to discuss the supplemental. She will meet with the full Senate Appropriations Committee on February 17.

Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to meet with the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday and with the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee on February 17.

The House Appropriations panel will likely mark up the supplemental the week of February 28 or March 7. The House would like to pass the measure before spring recess begins on March 18.

Senate Appropriations will likely follow the same schedule.

The House and Senate may be able to conduct negotiations during the spring recess and have a bill to the President by early April.