U.S. Senate plans to spend $94.5 billion on Iraq war, hurricane

There is increasing concern in Congress about the cost of the war in Iraq and the fact that it is financed on a set of loosely-policed books kept separate from the rest of government operations.

Photo: U.S. Senate plans to spend .5 billion on Iraq war, hurricane

The bill would bring to almost $320 billion ( Ђ 255 billion) the tally for the campaign in Iraq and $89 billion ( Ђ 71 billion) for the one in Afghanistan.

Final action on the bill was welcomed by Gulf Coast lawmakers, especially relatively junior Louisiana delegation members, who felt their Katrina-devastated state was shortchanged by a December measure, the AP reports.

The bill contains $3.7 billion ( Ђ 3 billion) for Louisiana flood control projects, while Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican colleague David Vitter are confident their state will receive $4.2 billion ( Ђ 3.3 billion) of $5.2 billion ( Ђ 4.1 billion) contained in the bill for direct grants to states. Louisiana plans to use its share to repair and rebuild housing stocks.