Senate Democrats, whose support is needed to pass more than $1 trillion worth of Cabinet department budgets, are demanding that domestic agencies receive budget increases, not just the Pentagon.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered the message in a letter to GOP leaders on Monday that also restated Democratic opposition to President Donald Trump's promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The missive comes as Capitol Hill's defense policy committees are preparing to vote on legislation that would sharply increase funding for defense, adding almost $40 billion on top of Trump's already generous proposed $54 billion increase for the Pentagon.
Democrats say nondefense programs should receive increases equal to those given defense, but they settled for less in this year's wrap-up spending bill.