FY2015 Budget Requests to Counter Ebola and
the Islamic State (IS)
Susan B. Epstein, Coordinator
Specialist in Foreign Policy
Sarah A. Lister
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology
Amy Belasco
Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget
Don J. Jansen
Specialist in Defense Health Care Policy
December 4, 2014
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R43807

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FY2015 Budget Requests to Counter Ebola and the Islamic State (IS)

Summary
The lame-duck session of the 113th Congress may consider appropriations measures that include
recent emergency funding requests. In 2014, two major global threats — the Ebola outbreak in
West Africa and the Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East — caused serious concern within the
Obama Administration and among Members of Congress. In November 2014, the President
requested a total of $11.68 billion for responding to the Ebola crisis and combatting the Islamic
State.
On November 5, 2014, the President requested $6.18 billion in FY2015 emergency
appropriations for Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of State and international
assistance programs, and the Department of Defense (DOD) to address the Ebola crisis
domestically and overseas. The funding would enhance domestic preparedness and support
overseas operations to end the current epidemic and prevent the spread of Ebola and other
infectious diseases. The request includes $2.43 billion for Health and Human Services, $2.10
billion for the Department of State and International Programs, and $112 million for the
Department of Defense to advance research and technologies to control Ebola and other
infectious diseases.
Appropriations requested for a new Contingency Fund (not Overseas Contingency Operations—
OCO) totaling $1.54 billion under HHS and Department of State accounts are accompanied by a
request for the authority to transfer these funds to any federal agency to help meet Ebola or other
infectious disease-related critical needs that may suddenly arise, both domestically and overseas.
In addition to the new Contingency Fund, the request would also provide transfer authority for the
emergency appropriations to any other federal accounts to meet the purposes specified in the
request. The Administration asserts that these authorities are necessary for flexibility and a
whole-of-government approach to this crisis.
On November 10, 2014, the President submitted to Congress an amended FY2015 OCO request
for an additional $5.5 billion to combat IS—$5 billion for DOD and $520 million for the
Department of State. This brings the FY2015 OCO request to a total of $71.4 billion.
DOD’s amended OCO funding request of $5.0 billion for FY2015 is for incremental U.S. military
personnel expenses; fuel, supplies, and repair costs for ground, air, and sea-based operations, as
well as other support; command, control, and intelligence activities, and intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance, and classified activities; replacement of expended munitions;
building the capacity of Iraqi security forces and Kurdish and tribal forces; providing support to
coalition members; and other small-scale humanitarian relief and reconstruction activities.
The Department of State’s amended OCO request of $520 million is for expanding the Center for
Strategic Counterterrorism Communications’ messaging in key languages; helping the moderate
Syrian opposition develop capacity and credibility; supporting Jordan and Lebanon’s territory and
borders; humanitarian support related to IS attacks in Syria and Iraq; and expanding U.S.
international broadcasting to provide a platform for moderate Muslims to voice opposition to
extremism.
Both the Ebola and IS requests would designate budget authority as either an emergency
requirement or Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism (OCO/GWOT).
Funds designated in this manner would effectively not be subject to the discretionary spending
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limits established by the Budget Control Act, 2011, as amended (P.L. 112-25), and could,
therefore, increase the deficit. This report will be updated as congressional action occurs.

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Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
The Emergency Request for the U.S. Ebola Response .................................................................... 1
Health and Human Services (HHS) ........................................................................................... 2
Department of State and International Assistance Programs ..................................................... 5
Department of Defense .............................................................................................................. 7
Amended OCO Funds to Combat the Islamic State ........................................................................ 8
Department of Defense .............................................................................................................. 8
New Iraq Train & Equip Authority.................................................................................... 10
Additional U.S. Military Personnel ................................................................................... 11
Department of State and International Assistance Programs ................................................... 11
Issues for Congress ........................................................................................................................ 13

Tables
Table 1. Health and Human Services Funds for Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases ................... 4
Table 2. State Department/USAID/Agriculture Ebola Funds, FY2014 Annual Budget
Estimates and FY2015 Emergency Request ................................................................................. 6
Table 3. DOD’s OCO Funding: FY2014 Enacted to FY2015 Supplemental Request ..................... 9
Table 4. U.S. Military Strength, FY2014-FY2015, Amended OCO .............................................. 11
Table 5. OCO: A Comparison of FY2014 Estimates vs. the FY2015 Amended Request for
Accounts to Support Combatting IS ........................................................................................... 12

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 14

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Introduction
In the context of legislative action to fund the government through September 30, 2015, Congress
is also considering new funding requests from the President to counter two global issues—the
Ebola crisis and the Islamic State (IS). In 2014 these two threats became major concerns within
the Obama Administration and among many Members of Congress. The first cases of Ebola in
Guinea, West Africa were reported in March 2014 and spread rapidly since then. The IS threat
quickly came to be viewed as an immediate threat to U.S. partners and allies in the Middle East
region, and a concern around the world, in late summer 2014.
On November 5, 2014, the President requested FY2015 appropriations of $6.18 billion for Health
and Human Services (HHS), the Department of State and international assistance programs, and
the Department of Defense (DOD) to contain the Ebola crisis domestically and overseas. On
November 10, 2014, the President increased the FY2015 Overseas Contingency Operations
(OCO) request by $5.5 billion to combat IS.
Congressional action on both may occur by December 11, 2014, when the current continuing
resolution (P.L. 113-164, CR) expires and a new funding bill would be required to keep the
government running, or it could be delayed when the new Congress convenes in January 2015.
The CR generally is providing discretionary FY2015 funding at a rate based on FY2014 levels
minus a 0.0554% across-the-board adjustment, with limited exceptions.1 Funding provided by a
CR is made available to agencies or “apportioned” at a rate determined by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). Within the current CR, Congress provided $88 million for HHS
Ebola efforts.2
The Emergency Request for the U.S. Ebola Response
The November 5, 2014, request of $6.18 billion is for U.S. government efforts to contain the
Ebola outbreak, enhance domestic preparedness, and improve global capability to prevent the
spread of other infectious diseases. Of the $4.64 billion for immediate needs, $2.426 billion is
sought for HHS and $2.1 billion for the Department of State and International Programs.
Additionally, DOD would receive $112 million to advance its research and technologies to end
the Ebola outbreak and other infectious diseases. For flexibility, an additional $1.54 billion would
be for a Contingency Fund to be available for use within HHS and State or for transfer to other
agencies, as needed. The Ebola request would designate all requested budget authority as
emergency requirements, so that it would effectively not be subject to the statutory discretionary
spending limits established by the Budget Control Act of 2011, as amended (P.L. 112-25, BCA).3

1 This across-the-board adjustment does not apply to OCO-designated funds (P.L. 113-164, §14).
2 P.L. 113-164, §136 and §137. Also, see CRS Report IN10148, H.J.Res. 124, The FY2015 Continuing Resolution.
3 For more information about these spending limits, see OMB, “Sequestration Update Report to the President and
Congress for Fiscal year 2015,” August 20, 2014, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/omb/assets/
legislatve_reports/sequestration/sequestration_update_august2014.pdf.
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Health and Human Services (HHS)
For Ebola preparedness and response activities in the Department of Health and Human Services
(HHS), the President’s request seeks $2.426 billion for immediate needs and an additional $751
million in contingency funding.4 These funds would support both domestic and international
activities. Requested amounts are described below and presented in Table 1. (In general, FY2014
comparable amounts are not presented. HHS generally funds its infection control and emergency
management activities under an all-hazards capacity category such as emergency planning,
laboratory equipment, and workforce training rather than by disease. Hence, it is not possible to
identify FY2014 amounts spent specifically on Ebola prevention and response, and FY2014
amounts in capacity accounts may not be comparable to additional amounts requested for Ebola.)
The FY2015 request seeks $2.426 billion:
• $1.83 billion for domestic and international Ebola responses by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Domestic activities would include
assistance to states to monitor travelers, and stockpiling of personal protective
equipment (PPE) for hospitals. Global health security activities would include
infection control, contact tracing, laboratory surveillance, emergency operations
centers, and training in affected countries in West Africa.5
• $333 million to support domestic Ebola responses through the Public Health and
Social Services Emergency Fund account (PHSSEF, a fund administered by the
HHS Secretary) for the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response
(ASPR) including
• $68.75 million in Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP) grants6 to establish
at least one Ebola Treatment Center in every state, including renovation,
construction, and retrofitting of private facilities (activities typically
prohibited for this program), purchase of personal protective equipment
(PPE) and other supplies, and training;7
• $84.75 million, also through the HPP, for nationwide health system
preparedness, to purchase PPE and training for hospitals, emergency medical

4 See CRS Report IN10176, The Administration’s Supplemental Request for Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases, by
Sarah A. Lister.
5 Of note, requested funds are separate from charitable funds available to CDC. In 1992 Congress established the
nonprofit National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to aid the agency in its broad public
health mission. (Public Health Service Act §399G; 42 U.S.C. 280e-11.) The CDC Foundation reports that it has
received commitments and donations of more than $43 million toward the Ebola response. Ariana Eunjung Cha, “In
Ebola Fight, Private Foundations Provide Critical Financial Aid,” Washington Post, November 16, 2014. See also CDC
Foundation, http://www.cdcfoundation.org/.
6 HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP),
http://www.phe.gov/PREPAREDNESS/PLANNING/HPP/Pages/default.aspx.
7 On December 2, 2014, HHS announced the designation of 35 Ebola Treatment Centers in 11 states and the District of
Columbia. HHS, “35 Hospitals Designated as Ebola Treatment centers,” press release, December 2, 2014,
http://www.hhs.gov/news. Also, the White House reiterated the funding request to continue to “build out” Ebola
treatment and assessment hospitals. White House, “Update on the Ebola Response,” fact sheet, December 2, 2014,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/12/02/fact-sheet-update-ebola-response.
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services, and ambulatory care facilities to handle Ebola patients safely on
initial contact;8
• $12.5 million for technical assistance, telemedicine, and other health system
support for the Ebola response in the United States;9
• $157 million for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development
Authority (BARDA) to bring Ebola vaccines and treatments developed under
National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Department of Defense contracts to
advanced development and manufacture for clinical trials; and10
• $10 million for modeling and genetic sequencing of the Ebola virus.
• $238 million for NIH to fund clinical trials on experimental Ebola vaccines and
treatments.
• $25 million for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for development,
review, and regulation of Ebola vaccines and treatments.
In addition, the request seeks $751 million for a Contingency Fund to the PHSSEF for
unanticipated international and/or domestic needs, which could result from further spread of the
Ebola outbreak in Africa, among other things.
Per the request, all HHS funds (both for immediate needs and contingency) would be used for
“purposes of preventing, preparing for, and responding to Ebola or other infectious diseases
domestically or internationally.”11 In addition to the Contingency Fund, the HHS Secretary would
have new broad authority to transfer any funds within HHS or to other departments as long as
funds were to be used for the stated purpose. This authority would be in addition to existing
transfer authorities,12 and would require prior consultation with OMB and 10-day advance notice
to congressional appropriations committees. Typical prohibitions on the use of HHS funds for
personal services contracts and renovation/construction would be waived. The request would
provide “expanded personal services contract authority for CDC” within the United States. It
would require CDC staff to exercise “continuous supervision and control” over contractors (e.g.,
during trainings for hospital staff in order to assure the effectiveness of the training and the safety
of trained staff).13
A Contingency Fund of $751 million within PHSSEF would be made available for obligation for
unforeseen needs only for the stated purposes of the request (noted above), both domestic and

8 The HPP received $255 million for FY2014 to fund ongoing health system preparedness activities for 62 state and
territorial grantees. HHS “Fiscal Year 2015 Budget in Brief,” p. 135, http://www.hhs.gov/budget.
9 HHS, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Legislation and Executive Secretariat, “Public
Health and Social Services Emergency Fund, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, FY2015 Emergency
Request Justification,” undated.
10 Ibid.
11 White House, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), “Estimate #4–FY 2015 Emergency Appropriations
Request to Enhance the U.S. Government’s Response to Ebola at Home and Abroad,” November 5, 2014, p. 8,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget_amendments.
12 See “Transfers” section of CRS Report R43304, Public Health Service Agencies: Overview and Funding.
13 House, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), “Estimate #4–FY 2015 Emergency Appropriations Request to
Enhance the U.S. Government’s Response to Ebola at Home and Abroad,” November 5, 2014, p. 8,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget_amendments.
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international, and upon prior notice to Congress by the President. When asked in a hearing why
he preferred this funding approach to an additional supplemental, CDC Director Tom Frieden,
referring to the possible spread of the Ebola outbreak to additional countries in West Africa, said
“it’s the lack of speed that kills. We need to be able to respond very quickly to changing
conditions on the ground.”14 Such a request is not unprecedented. As the request notes, in 2009
Congress provided contingency funding, along with immediate funding, in the emergency
supplemental for the response to the H1N1 influenza pandemic.15 The President requested that
the FY2015 Contingency Fund remain available until expended. However, if transferred
contingency funds were found not to be needed for the request’s stated purpose, such unexpended
funds would be returned to the PHSSEF.
Requested funds are intended for both Ebola and other infectious diseases because many of the
domestic and international activities that are planned or underway to address the current Ebola
outbreak—such as establishing Ebola treatment centers domestically and emergency operations
centers in African countries—would expand capacity for the prevention and control of other
infectious diseases in the future.
Table 1. Health and Human Services Funds for Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases
(In $ millions)
FY2015
Emergency
Agency
Account or Activity
Request
CDC
Domestic preparedness and response efforts and research
621

International response efforts
603

Global Health Security Agendaa 606
CDC Subtotal

1,830
ASPR
PHSSEF: Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA)
157

PHSSEF: ASPR Office of Emergency Management
166

Ebola virus modeling and genetic sequencing
10
ASPR Subtotal

333
NIH
NIAID for development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
238
FDA
Accelerate review, regulation, and surveillance of Ebola medical products
25
HHS Subtotal
Subtotal for immediate needs
2,426
Contingency Funds PHSSEF: unanticipated international and/or domestic needs
751
HHS Total

3,177
Sources: FY2015 Emergency Request Justifications for CDC, PHSSEF (ASPR), NIH and FDA, provided by the
Department of Health and Human Services, November 18, 2014.

14 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, The
U.S. Public Health Response to the Ebola Outbreak, 113th Cong., 2nd sess., November 18, 2014, CQ transcription.
15 CRS Report R40531, FY2009 Spring Supplemental Appropriations for Overseas Contingency Operations.
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a. See CDC, “Global Health Security Program,” fact sheet, February, 2014, for information about the program
and the FY2015 budget request, predating the Ebola outbreak, http://www.cdc.gov/fmo/topic/
Budget%20Information/FY-2015-Fact-Sheets/Global-Health-Security.pdf.
Department of State and International Assistance Programs
Throughout FY2014 and FY2015, the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID) have been drawing funds from International Disaster Assistance (IDA),
Global Health Programs (GHP), and Food for Peace accounts to address the Ebola crisis in West
Africa, as well as receiving support from DOD. $376.8 million ($64.5 million in FY2014 and
$312.7 million in FY2015) of State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPs) and
Agriculture appropriations have been used to fund labs for testing; medical supplies and cots;
building and supporting Ebola treatment units (ETU); training and management of safe burial
teams; and training health care workers.16
The FY2015 emergency request to contain Ebola totals $2.89 billion. Of that amount, $2.1 billion
is for immediate responses and $792 million is for a Contingency Fund (see Table 2). Some
highlights of the request follow:17
International Disaster Assistance (IDA)—The requested $1.4 billion for IDA includes $539.2
million for clinical and non-medical management of 12 ETUs; $25 million for contact tracing;
$36.8 million for burial teams training and safe practices; $208.2 million for Community Care
Centers; $66.9 million for outreach activities and household protections kits to promote safe
behaviors; and $269.1 million to ensure an adequate supply of personal protective equipment
(PPE), which includes procurement, transport, and warehousing of PPEs. An additional $190
million is for addressing the food insecurity which has been worsened by the establishment of
Ebola quarantine zones in the Ebola-affected areas resulting in reduced production; loss of labor,
livelihoods, and transportation services; and higher food prices. Another $16.1 million would
fund increased staffing of the Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) and USAID’s
Response Management Team (RMT), and support for 20 additional staff funded by USAID’s
Operation Expenses (OE) account.
Global Health Programs (GHP)—Within GHP, $62 million is requested for disease surveillance,
laboratories, rapid response teams, and risk mitigation in the three Ebola-affected countries; and
$278 million is for the Global Health Security Agenda to establish Ebola Preparedness Plans to
rapidly detect and control any introduction of Ebola in currently unaffected countries in the
region.
Economic Support Fund (ESF)—$71.7 million of ESF emergency funding is requested to address
second-order impacts in Ebola-affected countries and critical innovations in responses to the
epidemic. Examples include broadcasting of primary and secondary classes to school-aged
students and investing in Information and Communication Technology to establish a network that
is to facilitate data sharing and disease surveillance during the outbreak and that can be used in a
potential future crisis. $60 million is for rebuilding non-Ebola health services in Liberia, Sierra

16 West Africa – Ebola Outbreak – Fact Sheet #1 (FY15), USAID, October 1, 2014, and West Africa – Ebola Outbreak
– Fact Sheet #8 (FY2015), USAID, November 19, 2014. http://www.usaid.gov/ebola/.
17 Emergency Request Justification, Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs, FY2015.
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Leone, and Guinea; and $66 million is for longer-term strengthening of basic health services in
the Ebola-affected countries.
Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related Programs (NADR)—$5.3 million is for
existing NADR expertise of securing dangerous pathogens to be used for training of local law
enforcement on imposing quarantines and securing facilities that store the Ebola virus; handling
and disposing of Ebola-contaminated items; and for biosecurity and related capacity building.
Diplomatic Engagement—$71.4 million is for Diplomatic and Consular Programs (D&CP), U.S.
Contributions to International Organizations (CIO), and Repatriation Loans that would pay for
evacuations of U.S. government patients, oversight of the department efforts, outreach and
reporting by VOA, U.S. contributions to the U.N. Mission for Emergency Ebola Response
(UNMEER), and repatriation loans to American citizens who are exposed to the virus and need to
be returned to the United States using proper, but expensive, protocol.
Contingency Fund—The request designates $792 million of ESF funds as a Contingency Fund
that would be available until expended. This amounts to 27% of the SFOPs emergency request.
The Contingency Fund would be available for critical needs related to the Ebola outbreak and
global health security. The measure authorizes broad transfer authority of these funds to other
accounts in the Department of State, USAID, or other federal agencies, provided that transfers are
done in consultation with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), only for amounts
designated by the President to address critical Ebola crisis needs, in addition to existing transfer
authority, and with a 10-day advance notification to the House and Senate Appropriations
Committees. “Notwithstanding any other provision of law” language, arguably, would allow these
funds to be used in countries that currently are prohibited from receiving U.S. foreign aid if they
meet the criteria that there is a critical need related to Ebola in that country.18 The Administration
states that the transfer authority and the general provisions requested would provide the flexibility
and whole-of-government approach that it says is needed to address potentially rapid changes in
the Ebola crisis.
Table 2. State Department/USAID/Agriculture Ebola Funds, FY2014 Annual Budget
Estimates and FY2015 Emergency Request
(In $ thousands)
FY2015 Emergency

FY2014
Request
International Disaster Assistance (IDA)
$43,936
$1,400,973
Global Health Programs(GHP)/USAID
$13,950
$340,000
Economic Support Fund (ESF)
$211,725
International Organizations and Programs (IO&P)
$50,300
Nonproliferation, Anti-terrorism, Demining, and Related
$5,300
Programs (NADR)

18 Foreign aid may be suspended or denied for a range of foreign policy and national security reasons, including support
of international terrorism, human rights violations, trafficking in persons, trafficking in illicit narcotics, coercive family
planning programs, denial of religious freedom, disrupting regional stability, engaging in weapons proliferation, to
name a few. The United States currently maintains robust sanctions regimes against foreign governments it has
identified as supporters of acts of international terrorism (Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria), nuclear arms proliferators (Iran,
North Korea, Syria), egregious violators of international human rights standards (Belarus, Burma, Cuba, Iran, North
Korea, Russia, Syria), and those threatening regional stability (Iran, North Korea, Russia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria).

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FY2015 Emergency

FY2014
Request
USAID/Operating Expenses (OE)
$19,037
USAID Inspector General (IG)
$5,626
Diplomatic & Consular Programs (D&CP)
$35,420
U.S. Contributions to International Orgs. (CIO)
$35,000
Repatriation Loans
$1,000
Ebola Contingency Funds
$792,000
Food for Peace (FFP)
$6,605
—
Total
$64,491
$2,896,381
Source: Department of State email communication on October 15, 2014, and the Department of State, Foreign
Operations, and Related Programs Emergency Request Justification, FY2015.
Notes: The FY2015 CR (P.L. 113-164) provides budget authority for al accounts, including these, through
December 11, 2014, at a rate for operations that is generally at the FY2014 funding level, minus a small across-
the-board adjustment. This budget authority is apportioned at a rate determined by OMB.
Department of Defense
President Obama announced on September 16, 2014, an increase in the U.S. response to the
current Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Part of that included DOD requests to reprogram excess
Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funds appropriated for FY2014 to become available to
support the Overseas Humanitarian Disaster and Civic Aid (OHDACA) account. DOD submitted
two separate prior approval reprogramming requests totaling $1 billion dated September 8 and
September 17 to the House and Senate Appropriations and Armed Services Committees. The
committees approved the reprogramming, but with limitations requiring additional DOD action
prior to use of the funds. As of November 17, 2014, the committees had approved DOD’s use of
up to $750 million of the reprogrammed funds for the Ebola crisis, in part as directed by USAID.
The stated purposes for the reprogrammed funds include19
• transportation of DOD and non-DOD personnel and supplies;
• coordinating delivery of supplies from both DOD and non-DOD sources such as
isolation units, personnel protective equipment (PPE), and medical supplies;
• construction of Ebola treatment units (ETU); and
• training and education in support of sanitation and mortuary affairs functions to
limit the spread of the Ebola outbreak.
For FY2015, the Administration’s emergency supplemental seeks $112 million for the Defense
Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA). These funds would support medical research
efforts in the United States aimed at developing Ebola treatments and preventive measures. This
includes new research focused on utilizing the antibodies of Ebola survivors to provide temporary
immunity for infected patients until an effective vaccine can be developed and the accelerated

19 Prior Approval Reprogramming Request FY14-16 dated September 6, 2014, “September 2014 Prior Approval
Request,” available at http://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/execution/reprogramming/fy2014/
prior1415s/14-16_PA_September_2014_Request.pdf and Prior Approval Reprogramming Request FY14-17 dated
September 16, 2014, “Additional Ebola Response” available at http://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/
execution/reprogramming/fy2014/prior1415s/14-17_PA_Ebola_Response.pdf.
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development and testing of new Ebola vaccines and diagnostics.20 DARPA’s Biological
Technologies Office (BTO) has previously funded medical research initiatives. Possible
objections to this emergency funding request might include whether this request meets the criteria
of an “emergency,” given that the request supports “on-going research efforts,” or whether the
proposed use of the funding is within DOD’s core mission.21
Amended OCO Funds to Combat the Islamic State
On November 10, 2014, the Administration amended its FY2015 Overseas Contingency
Operations request by adding $5 billion for DOD and $520 million for the Department of State to
support efforts to combat the Islamic State (IS). These amendments bring the FY2015 OCO
request to a total of $71.4 billion—$7.8 billion for State and $63.6 billion for DOD. This
compares with $91.9 billion—$6.5 billion for State and $85.4 billion for DOD—appropriated in
FY2014. Budget authority designated as Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism (OCO/GWOT), which is how all OCO funds are designated, is effectively not subject
to the statutory discretionary spending limits established by the BCA.22
Department of Defense
As of November 12, 2014, DOD estimated that $776 million had been spent to conduct the IS
campaign, an average of $8 million a day.23 Initially, DOD financed airstrikes and the deployment
of U.S. military personnel to Iraq to conduct an assessment and provide advice using OCO funds
already appropriated for FY2014. Starting October 1, 2014, DOD tapped OCO-designated funds
in the FY2015 CR. For example, DOD used OCO-designated FY2015 O&M, Navy and O&M,
Air Force funds to conduct air strikes in Iraq and Syria based on the type of expenses involved.
This practice of relying on current funding until supplemental funding is provided later in the
year is known as “cash flowing” (see Table 3).
Starting October 1, 2014, incremental costs of the new Iraq and Syria operations (named
Operation Inherent Resolve) are being paid for from funds appropriated by Congress in the
FY2015 Continuing Resolution (CR, H.J.Res. 124/P.L. 113-164). Under the CR, OCO for DOD is
appropriated at a rate of operations based on the $85.4 billion in OCO funds enacted in FY2014.
This is $26.6 billion above the FY2015 request of $58.6 billion.
The FY2015 CR also provided DOD with temporary new authority to conduct Syria train and
equip operations, but did not provide dedicated funds as requested. Instead, funds may be made
available to the extent that DOD requests and the four congressional defense committees approve
reprogramming of other available funds.24 The Administration submitted its first reprogramming

20 “Department of Defense Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation,” p. 21 of the enclosure letter from the
Director of the Office of Management and Budget to the President submitting the FY2015 emergency appropriations
request, November 5, 2014. See http://go.usa.gov/HPgH.
21 Ibid.
22 See footnote 3.
23 DOD, Special Report, Operation Inherent Resolve, Targeted Operations Against ISIL Terrorists, November 15,
2014; http://www.defense.gov/home/features/2014/0814_iraq/?cid=social_20141003_32807066.
24 §149, P.L. 113-164. The committees are the House and Senate Armed Services Committees and the House and
Senate Appropriations Committees.
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request for $225 million to support this program on November 10, 2014. The CR permits a broad
range of training and support activities and requires vetting of Syrian participants. The authority
would be extended until December 31, 2016, under Section 1209 of the conference version of the
proposed FY2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA; S. 1847), released on December
2, 2014.
The November 10, 2014, amended FY2015 DOD/OCO request of $5.0 billion is for
• incremental military personnel expenses (e.g., hardship pay) for U.S. military
supporting Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR);
• fuel, supplies, and repair costs for ground operations, flying hours, and steaming
hours of ships in the region, as well as other support;
• command, control, and intelligence activities, and intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance, and classified activities;
• replacement of expended munitions (e.g., Hellfire, Maverick, Tomahawks); and
• building the capacity of Iraqi security forces and Kurdish and tribal forces,
providing support to coalition members, and other small-scale humanitarian relief
and reconstruction.25
Table 3. DOD’s OCO Funding: FY2014 Enacted to FY2015 Supplemental Request
In Billions of Dollars of Budget Authority
FY2015 CR
(H.J.Res.
FY2014 Enacted
FY2015
124/P.L. 113-
FY2015
Total
Title
(P.L. 113-76)
Requesta
164)b
amendmentc
FY2015 Req.
Military Personnel
8.15
5.45
8.15
0.14
5.60
Operation & Maintenance
69.68
42.07
69.68
2.32
44.38
Procurement 7.11
6.03
7.11
0.83
6.86
RDT&E 0.14
0.08
0.14
0.14
0.22
Military Construction
0.00
0.05
0.00
0.00
0.05
Family Housing
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
0.00
Revolving & Mgt. Funds
0.26
0.09
0.26
0.00
0.09
Iraq Train & Equip
0.00
0.00
0.00
1.62
1.62
Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund (CTPF)
0.00
4.00
0.00
0.00
4.00
European Reassurance Initiative (ERI)
0.00
0.93
0.00
0.00
0.93
Total OCO
85.34
58.69
85.34
5.05
63.74
Rescissions na
-0.12
na
0.00
-0.12
Total OCO Adjusted
85.35
58.57
85.35
5.05
63.62
Sources: Table 1 in Department of Defense, Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Amendment, Overview, Overseas
Contingency Operations, June 2014;
http://comptrol er.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2015/amendment/FY2015_Budget_Request_O
verview_Book_Amended.pdf, and DOD, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptrol er) Fiscal Year

25 DOD, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Overseas Contingency
Operations (OCO) Budget Amendment Update, p. 2 and p. 3,November 2014; http://comptroller.defense.gov/Portals/
45/Documents/defbudget/fy2015/amendment/FY15_OCO_Budget_Amendment_Update.pdf

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(FY) 2015 Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Budget Amendment Update, November 2014;
http://comptrol er.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2015/amendment/FY15_OCO_Budget_Amend
ment_Update.pdf.
a. Reflects DOD amended OCO request for Afghan war and Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, submitted
June 2014.
b. Estimates of annualized budget authority. The FY2015 CR provides OCO budget authority at a rate for
operations through December 11, 2014.
c. Reflects DOD’s FY2015 amended OCO request of November 10, 2014, to conduct Operation Inherent
Resolve (OIR) against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria and Iraq. Except for the FY2015
amendment, there are no funds to counter IS.
New Iraq Train & Equip Authority
Under its request for broad authority to train and equip Iraqi and other security forces, DOD
would
provide assistance to military and other security forces of, or associated with, the
Government of Iraq, including Kurdish and tribal security forces, with a national security
mission, to counter the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, including the provision of
equipment, supplies, services, training, facility and infrastructure repair, renovation,
construction, and stipends....26
The Administration is also requesting authority for the Secretary of Defense to waive “any other
provision of law that would otherwise prohibit, restrict, limit or otherwise constrain the obligation
or expenditure of [these] funds.”27 Typically, Congress has not accepted this kind of exception.
In order for the requested funds to be fully obligated, the proposal would require Iraqi, Kurdish,
and tribal security forces to contribute 40% of the $1.6 billion DOD request (including in-kind
contributions), with at least half of that contribution to come from the government of Iraq. Arms
sales could not count toward the contribution.28 The draft conference agreement of the FY2015
NDAA deletes the exclusion of arms sales.29
The Administration is also asking to expand current coalition support authorities to include
reimbursing Iraq for its logistical support expenses. In addition, $15 million more would be
provided for “emergencies and extraordinary payments” for “confidential military purposes,”
typically intelligence support.30

26 Office of Management and Budget, Estimate #5—FY 2015 Budget Amendments: Department of Defense (DOD) and
Department of State and Other International Programs (State/OIP) to implement the Administration’s Strategy to
Counter the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and update the FY 2015 Overseas Contingency Operations
funding levels for both DOD and State/OIP,p. 11, 11/10/14; http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/assets/
budget_amendments/amendment_11_10_14.pdf.
27 Ibid., p. 12.
28 Ibid., p. 12.
29 §1236 in Rules Committee print 113-58, House amendment to the text of S. 1847, http://www.armed-
services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/CPRT-113-HPRT-RU00-S1847.pdf.
30 Ibid., p. 9.
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Additional U.S. Military Personnel
DOD’s additional request would increase U.S. troop strength in and around Iraq and Afghanistan
by some 4,000 in FY2015, including troops providing training and assistance in Iraq as well as
providing additional support in the region. If the overall FY2015 OCO request is approved, troop
strength in and around Iraq and Afghanistan would total 79,047 including 64,482 providing in-
theater support (Table 4).
Table 4. U.S. Military Strength, FY2014-FY2015, Amended OCO
FY2014 Enacted FY2015 CR FY2015 Request FY2015 Supp. Total FY2015 Req.
Afghanistan (OEF) 37,234
ns
11,661
0
11,661
Iraq (OIR)
0
ns
0
2,904
2,904
In-theater Support 61,071
ns
63,309
1,173
64,482
Total
98,305
ns
74,970
4,077
79,047
Sources: Figure 2 in Department of Defense, Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Amendment, Overview, Overseas
Contingency Operations, June 2014;
http://comptrol er.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2015/amendment/FY2015_Budget_Request_O
verview_Book_Amended.pdf, and DOD, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptrol er) Fiscal Year
(FY) 2015 Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Budget Amendment Update, November 2014;
http://comptrol er.defense.gov/Portals/45/Documents/defbudget/fy2015/amendment/FY15_OCO_Budget_Amend
ment_Update.pdf.
Notes: Figures reflect average strength.
a. Figure 2 in the FY2015 November request appears to include an error, showing 2,577 as the sum of 2,904
additional troops in Iraq and 1,173 providing in-theater support; this table corrects that error.
Department of State and International Assistance Programs
While a precise FY2014 estimate of State Department funds to combat the Islamic State is not
available, comparing the FY2014 estimates with the FY2015 November 10, 2014, amended
request indicates an overall increase of nearly 9% for just the amended accounts. The largest
percentage increase would be nearly 63% for Foreign Military Financing (FMF). Two accounts—
Peacekeeping Operations (PKO) and IDA—would still be less after including the amendments
than the FY2014 estimates (see Table 5).
For FY2015 Department of State efforts against IS, the $520 million amendment includes
• $8.6 million for D&CP to expand the Center for Strategic Counterterrorism
Communications’ counterterrorism messaging in key languages and increase
outreach and training programs aimed at countering IS propaganda;
• $100 million for ESF to engage the moderate Syrian opposition and improve its
capacity and credibility;
• $250 million for FMF to support Jordan and Lebanon’s efforts to protect their
national territory and maintain control over their borders;
• $65 million for PKO to increase the capacity of the moderate Syrian opposition
to counter IS;
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FY2015 Budget Requests to Counter Ebola and the Islamic State (IS)

• $90 million for IDA to provide humanitarian support related to IS attacks in Syria
and Iraq, including food, protection, shelter, clean water, and other supplies; and
• $6.3 million to increase VOA broadcasting in Kurdish and Turkish language
services, expand Middle East Broadcasting Network’s Alhurra and Radio Sawa
efforts to amplify and provide a platform for moderate Muslims to voice
opposition to extremism over TV, radio, and Internet platforms.
A requested amendment to the General Provisions says: notwithstanding any other provision of
law, funds appropriated under this Act may be used to provide assistance for the Syrian
opposition. If agreed to, this language would allow the Administration to use any FY2015 State,
Foreign Operations appropriations account and either enduring or OCO funds for aid to the
Syrian opposition. “The Syrian opposition” is not defined in the Administration’s proposal, and
U.S. officials continue to acknowledge that the opposition suffers from a lack of organization and
from infighting, and includes groups whose ideologies and goals may not be compatible with
U.S. long-term preferences for the region. Congress granted a more fully defined notwithstanding
authority for the ESF account in the FY2014 appropriations act and outlined criteria for the use of
funds and created strategy and notification requirements in relation to the authority.31
Table 5. OCO: A Comparison of FY2014 Estimates vs. the FY2015 Amended Request
for Accounts to Support Combatting IS
(In $ Millions)
Total FY2015
Nov. 10, 2014,
Req., as
% change

FY2014
Amendments
amended
FY15 vs. FY14
D&CP $1,391.1
$8.6
$1,562.0
+12.3%
ESF $1,656.2
$100.0
$1,778.4
+7.4%
FMF $530.0
$250.0
$862.0
+62.6%
PKO $200.0
$65.0
$180.0
-10.0%
IDA $924.2
$90.0
$725.0
-21.6%
Int’l Broadcasting Operations
$4.4
$6.3
$6.3
+43.2%
Total
$4,705.9
$519.9
$5,113.7
+8.7%
Source: The Department of State Congressional Budget Justification, FY2015, the White House Amendment of
June 26, 2014, and the White House Amendment of November 10, 2014.

31 Section 7041(i) of Division K of the FY2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 3547, P.L. 113-76)
significantly expanded the Administration's authority to provide nonlethal assistance in Syria for certain purposes using
the Economic Support Fund (ESF) account. Such assistance had been restricted by a series of preexisting provisions of
law (including some terrorism-related provisions) that required the President to assert emergency and contingency
authorities to provide such assistance to the Syrian opposition and communities in Syria. The new authority made
FY2014 and prior-year ESF funding available “notwithstanding any other provision of law for nonlethal assistance for
programs to address the needs of civilians affected by conflict in Syria, and for programs that seek to— (A) establish
governance in Syria that is representative, inclusive, and accountable; (B) develop and implement political processes
that are democratic, transparent, and adhere to the rule of law; (C) further the legitimacy of the Syrian opposition
through cross-border programs; (D) develop civil society and an independent media in Syria; (E) promote economic
development in Syria; (F) document, investigate, and prosecute human rights violations in Syria, including through
transitional justice programs and support for nongovernmental organizations; and (G) counter extremist ideologies.”

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Notes: This table presents only the OCO accounts that would be amended by the President’s November 10,
2014, request. For more detail on State Department OCO funds, see CRS Report R43569, State, Foreign
Operations, and Related Programs: FY2015 Budget and Appropriations, by Susan B. Epstein, Alex Tiersky, and Marian
L. Lawson.
Issues for Congress
Contingency Funds. Some have expressed concern about the request for $1.54 billion in an
Ebola Contingency Fund for HHS and State. As worded in the request, the broader transfer
authority, in addition to existing authority, would allow these funds to be transferred to any
agency and among appropriation accounts, as long as the funds are used “for emergency expenses
related to the humanitarian, economic, and stabilization crisis due to the Ebola outbreak.” Of
further note is the notwithstanding language included in the SFOPs ESF Contingency Fund. That
would allow these funds to be provided to countries that may currently be prohibited in law from
receiving U.S. aid, or otherwise bypass other congressional restrictions or mandates.
The Administration states that given the changing nature of the Ebola epidemic and the need to
address unforeseen outbreaks before they become epidemics, HHS and State Department
Contingency Funds must be accompanied by the authority giving the Administration “maximum
flexibility to respond quickly,” both domestically and overseas.32 Only the funds designated by
the President as critical to address the Ebola outbreak and global health security would be
obligated, according to the request, and a 10-day advance notification to House and Senate
Appropriations Committees is required before funds are transferred. The Administration says that
structuring the Contingency Fund in this way would support its whole-of-government approach,
while allowing the Secretaries of HHS and State to oversee the allocation of the funds toward the
most pressing needs.
Ebola Emergency Response Act (H.R. 5710). On November 14, 2014, Representative
Christopher Smith (NJ) introduced the Ebola Emergency Response Act (H.R. 5710). It would
authorize $1.801 billion for FY2015 emergency aid for countries directly affected by an Ebola
outbreak. Similar to the President’s request, it includes notwithstanding language and requires
consistency with International Disaster Assistance law within Section 491 of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 that would allow any country to receive U.S. aid for natural or manmade
disasters and humanitarian concerns.
The legislation is an authorization of funds, not an appropriation, and also authorizes the
President to use resources from any agency on a non-reimbursable basis, subject to consent of the
agency head and notwithstanding any provision of law related to limitations on the use of
authorities or funding of such other agency. The bill would require notification to the House
Committees on Foreign Affairs, Energy and Commerce, Armed Services, and Appropriations, and
the Senate Committees on Foreign Relations, Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Armed
Services, and Appropriations within 15 days after use of this authority. A report to the above
congressional committees is required within 6 months after the Ebola epidemic has been
contained.

32 Enclosed letter from the director of the Office of Management and Budget to the President submitting the FY2015
emergency appropriations request, November 5, 2014.
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State Department amended OCO for combatting IS. Within the amended SFOPs OCO request
is a General Provision notwithstanding language that would allow any FY2015 funding in the
SFOPs appropriations act (not just OCO) to be used for combatting IS. This would allow both
enduring and OCO funds to be used to support the Syrian opposition.
DOD amended OCO for Combatting IS. Congress may revisit the OCO funding level in final
action on FY2015 appropriations and may reduce the amount (currently at higher FY2014 levels)
closer to the FY2015 request. Congress may revise the temporary Syria train-and-equip authority
provided in the FY2015 CR.
In addition, Congress may raise several budgetary and policy questions about the new request:
• Could all or some of the additional $5.0 billion request be accommodated within
the original $58.6 billion OCO request, since there are indications that DOD’s
June request may be larger than needed?33
• What are the pros and cons of the requested train-and-equip authority for Iraq,
and how might it be modified to narrow its scope and increase congressional
oversight? And is the cost-sharing arrangement proposed practical?
• Would Congress want to define or limit the missions of U.S. troops deployed in
Iraq or in Syria?
OCO and Emergency Spending Designations. The President’s $6.18 billion request to counter
Ebola would designate that budget authority as “emergency” requirements and the $5.5 billion
budget authority to counter the Islamic State as “OCO/GWOT.” If budget authority was enacted
that was designated in this manner, it would effectively be exempt from the statutory
discretionary spending limits.34 If Congress were to consider appropriations that were designated
as an emergency, a point of order against that designation may be raised in the Senate, which
requires 60 votes to waive.35 That Senate point of order does not apply to funds designated as
OCO/GWOT.
Author Contact Information

Susan B. Epstein, Coordinator
Amy Belasco
Specialist in Foreign Policy
Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget
sepstein@crs.loc.gov, 7-6678
abelasco@crs.loc.gov, 7-7627
Sarah A. Lister
Don J. Jansen
Specialist in Public Health and Epidemiology
Specialist in Defense Health Care Policy
slister@crs.loc.gov, 7-7320
djansen@crs.loc.gov, 7-4769


33 DOD obligations for FY2014 have been slower than in the previous five years, suggesting that substantial one-year
monies may expire prior to being obligated. In addition, DOD requested reprogrammings using $2.6 billion O&M,
Army as a source because the withdrawals have been faster than anticipated. If less funds are needed in FY2014, and
the withdrawal is ahead of schedule, the FY2015 request may also be overstated.
34 Such designations are pursuant to §251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985.
35 If the point of order is not waived, the emergency designation is stricken. See CRS Report R41564, Emergency
Designation: Current Budget Rules and Procedures, by Bill Heniff Jr.
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