AP
President Bush at El Paso International Airport, March 21, 2002

 More than half of the money, $14 billion, would help pay for military operations in Afghanistan, which cost about $2 billion per month, and to prepare for possible expanded anti-terrorist activity elsewhere.

 Mr. Bush, who is in Mexico Friday, acknowledges it is a great deal of money, but he says the price of defending freedom is never too high.

 The president's emergency budget request includes more than $5 billion to help rebuild portions of New York City, where the World Trade Center collapsed after it was hit by two hijacked jet airliners.

 President Bush also is asking for more than $1 billion in foreign aid, for U.S. allies that are facing their own terrorism problems.

 U.S. financial help would go to Afghanistan and three of its neighbors, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, that have supported the United States' recent military operations. Turkey, Yemen, Oman and the Philippines also are on the list for increased assistance, as are Ecuador and Colombia.

 Congress is expected to approve the new spending plan without any major changes. If the lawmakers agree to the president's full request for $27.1 billion, that would bring the cost of the campaign against terrorism since September 11 to more than $67 billion. 

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters. 

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