Bush sends supplemental spending request to Congress

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush sent Friday to Congress a request for $6.5 billion in supplemental spending for FY 2001.

A statement from the Office of Management and Budget said the funds would "make up for shortfalls in routine government operations."

The funds would go to the departments of Agriculture, Defense, Energy, HHS, HUD and Transportation, Interior, Treasury and Veterans Affairs. NASA and other international assistance programs would also receive a portion of the funds.

The president asked Congress to pass the funding by the July 4 holiday.

According to the White House, the request fits within the discretionary spending caps established last year by Congress. Office of Management and Budget Director Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., said, "We believe that this request covers all the outstanding funding needs of the government for this fiscal year, and we will recommend that the president not sign a bill that provides more discretionary spending than the spending caps allow."