At least $5 billion more is expected for foreign assistance, including $85 million to promote democratic institutions in Iraq as outlined by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in congressional testimony Wednesday.

The massive supplemental spending request discussed by Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld before a congressional committee Thursday would bring the total price tag for the Iraq and Afghanistan missions to almost $400 billion.

Last year, Congress provided $50 billion for the war effort for the current budget year. President Bush's budget anticipates another $50 billion for the budget year beginning Oct. 1, though the costs are likely to be much greater.

Pentagon officials have said the latest requests will include about $20 billion to repair and replace equipment worn out or damaged in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In an about-face for the administration, Louisiana would receive $4.2 billion to compensate homeowners for losses from the unprecedented storm. Additional funds for levees, repairing federal facilities and small business assistance are also anticipated.

Despite enduring much worse damage than neighboring Mississippi, Louisiana received a bare majority of $11.5 billion in community development block grant funds - much of which was to be devoted to compensating homeowners - when Congress passed $29 billion in Katrina relief in December.

The latest request would push the total federal commitment for rebuilding to more than $100 billion, according to administration tallies. That reflects about $68 billion in emergency appropriations, $18.5 billion in available flood insurance funds and the new request of approximately $18 billion.

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