Key U.S. lawmaker says Obama war funding request too low

Reuters
U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry (R-TX), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, addresses a news conference following a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, October 21, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Mac Thornberry, the chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, said on Thursday he would review President Barack Obama's request for $11.6 billion in supplemental war-related funding but that it was too low.

The funding would include money to fight Islamic State militants and sustain higher overseas troop levels.

"While we will review the request carefully, the amount still does not accommodate the increased pace of operations against ISIL and does nothing to begin addressing the readiness crisis," Thornberry said in a statement.

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Chris Reese)