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U.S. House Blocks $163 Billion for Conflict in Iraq
bloomberg
excerpt:
By Christopher Stern and Laura Litvan
May 15 (Bloomberg) -- Anti-war Democrats and Republicans who objected to Democratic tactics in the U.S. House defeated a measure to provide $163 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan until next summer.
Lawmakers rejected the measure by a 149 to 141 vote today with more than 130 members voting ``present.'' Many Democrats have refused to support spending on a war that they oppose, and Republicans opposed the legislation because the process limited their usual opportunity to offer alternate legislation.
``This is a $200 billion spending bill in which Republicans were shut out of the process,'' said Republican Tom Davis of Virginia, who voted present.
Some anti-war Democrats cheered, shouting, ``The war is over.''
The result came as a surprise to Democratic leaders, who had expected Republicans to help carry the legislation. The rejection leaves funding for the war in limbo. The Senate may replace the money when it considers the measure, maybe as soon as next week.
The government has enough money to pay for the war through July under current law, said Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Democratic leaders will decide later whether to try to bring the spending measure up for another vote.
Democrats knew before the vote that many in their party, including Pelosi, would vote against the war funding.
``We always said this would pass or fail based on Republican votes,'' Elshami said.
In a second vote, the House agreed to require U.S. troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq within 30 days, with a goal of completing the redeployment by December 2009. The House also agreed to a measure to spend more than $20 billion on international aid and domestic programs and extend unemployment benefits for jobless Americans.
Educational Benefits
The legislation includes a boost in educational benefits for military veterans and a surcharge tax on individual income above $500,000 a year to pay for the veterans' program.
President George W. Bush has threatened to veto the legislation, citing the domestic spending, the troop withdrawal plan and the tax measure.
White House Budget Director Jim Nussle released a statement saying Democrats ``blocked a clean war funding bill for our troops.''
``Instead they insisted on tax increases, higher spending, and tying the hands of our military commanders,'' Nussle said.
bloomberg
excerpt:
By Christopher Stern and Laura Litvan
May 15 (Bloomberg) -- Anti-war Democrats and Republicans who objected to Democratic tactics in the U.S. House defeated a measure to provide $163 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan until next summer.
Lawmakers rejected the measure by a 149 to 141 vote today with more than 130 members voting ``present.'' Many Democrats have refused to support spending on a war that they oppose, and Republicans opposed the legislation because the process limited their usual opportunity to offer alternate legislation.
``This is a $200 billion spending bill in which Republicans were shut out of the process,'' said Republican Tom Davis of Virginia, who voted present.
Some anti-war Democrats cheered, shouting, ``The war is over.''
The result came as a surprise to Democratic leaders, who had expected Republicans to help carry the legislation. The rejection leaves funding for the war in limbo. The Senate may replace the money when it considers the measure, maybe as soon as next week.
The government has enough money to pay for the war through July under current law, said Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Democratic leaders will decide later whether to try to bring the spending measure up for another vote.
Democrats knew before the vote that many in their party, including Pelosi, would vote against the war funding.
``We always said this would pass or fail based on Republican votes,'' Elshami said.
In a second vote, the House agreed to require U.S. troops to begin withdrawing from Iraq within 30 days, with a goal of completing the redeployment by December 2009. The House also agreed to a measure to spend more than $20 billion on international aid and domestic programs and extend unemployment benefits for jobless Americans.
Educational Benefits
The legislation includes a boost in educational benefits for military veterans and a surcharge tax on individual income above $500,000 a year to pay for the veterans' program.
President George W. Bush has threatened to veto the legislation, citing the domestic spending, the troop withdrawal plan and the tax measure.
White House Budget Director Jim Nussle released a statement saying Democrats ``blocked a clean war funding bill for our troops.''
``Instead they insisted on tax increases, higher spending, and tying the hands of our military commanders,'' Nussle said.