WASHINGTON – President Bush asked Congress yesterday to provide $81.9 billion more for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and for other American efforts overseas, pushing the total price tag for the conflicts and anti-terror fight past $300 billion.

Republicans hope to push the package through Congress by early spring, reflecting both parties’ desire to finance U.S. troops in the field and give Iraqis more responsibility following their national elections. Mr. Bush asked lawmakers to pay for the new spending by borrowing the money – which will make huge federal deficits even larger.

“The majority of this request will ensure that our troops continue to get what they need to protect themselves and complete their mission,” Mr. Bush said in a statement accompanying his request.

He also said the money would help continue the pursuit of terrorists and help America “seize the opportunity to build peace and democracy in the Middle East.”

The bulk of the package – $74.9 billion – was for the Defense Department, ranging from the direct costs of fighting and replacing damaged equipment to training Iraqi and Afghan forces.

There was also aid for U.S. allies like Pakistan and Ukraine, money to build a new embassy in Baghdad, assistance for tsunami-damaged Indian Ocean countries, and help for victims of war in Sudan.

Rep. Jerry Lewis, a Republican of California and chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, said he would move the bill “quickly and cleanly through the Congress” with a goal of sending Mr. Bush the legislation by early April.

In a hint that lawmakers would look to rework some details, he added, “Congress will exercise our constitutional obligations while expediting the consideration of this request.”

Rep. John Spratt of South Carolina, top Democrat on the House Budget Committee, said lawmakers would back the effort to help American forces. But he complained that the measure contained some items – such as $5 billion to help restructure Army combat units to make them more flexible – that seemed to have little to do with the war and should have been in Mr. Bush’s overall budget released last week.

“This is one way of trying to keep the regular budget sum down,” he said.

Congress provided Mr. Bush with a $25 billion down payment last summer for this year’s costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Before yesterday’s request, Congress had already approved $201.2 billion for the Defense Department since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, for the two wars, and its other efforts to tighten security and to hunt terrorists, according to a tally by the Congressional Research Service.

In addition, lawmakers had provided nearly $27 billion for rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan, said the service, which compiles reports for Congress.

Also yesterday, Mr. Bush said he will nominate Lester Crawford as head of the Food and Drug Administration, a position Mr. Crawford has held as acting commissioner for nearly a year amid rising concerns about safety.

Protecting food from attack became a priority after Thomas Thompson, then the secretary of health and human services, said last year the supply was so vulnerable he was surprised terrorists had not gone after it. The Health and Human Services Department includes the FDA.

Michael Leavitt, the new HHS secretary, said that under Mr. Crawford, the “FDA will provide the world’s safest drugs and empower citizens with the tools they need to make informed choices about their health.”

Mr. Bush also sent the Senate 20 judicial nominees, including several who were blocked in his first term, signaling a new fight with Democrats.

“Every judicial nominee deserves a prompt hearing and an up-or-down vote on the floor of the United States Senate,” Mr. Bush said at the swearing-in of Attorney General Gonzales.

The Democrats’ ability to stall White House picks for the federal bench was one of the most contentious issues of Mr. Bush’s first term. With a Senate comprised of 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and a Democrat leaning independent, Democrats still have the 40 votes necessary to uphold a filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader Frist, a Republican of Tennessee, has threatened to try to change Senate rules to force confirmation votes if Democrats carry out their filibuster threats.

“We need to restore the tradition of giving advice and consent, and that means having a nominee coming from the president to us with majority support be allowed a vote, an up-or-down vote,” he said on Fox News Sunday.

Senator Schumer said some of Mr. Bush’s nominations are “out of the mainstream and will not be confirmed by the Senate, unless they have drastically modified their views and ideologies.”