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U.S. House Approves Iraq Funding Bill

Posted on: Friday, 23 March 2007, 15:00 CDT

The U.S. House Friday voted to approve a supplemental spending bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, along with other projects.

The vote was 218-212, with two Republicans joining the majority and 14 Democrats voting against the measure. One member voted present. The measure now goes to the Senate.

The bill provides $96 billion in additional spending for Iraq, $7 billion for Afghanistan and $6 billion for domestic anti-terror programs. It also contains funding for Hurricane Katrina relief pork barrel items such as money for shrimpers, spinach farmers and peanut storage. The measure set Aug. 31, 2008, as the deadline for U.S. combat troops to be withdrawn from Iraq. President George Bush has said he would veto any measure that includes a deadline for withdrawal.

The American people do not support the war without end and neither should this Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., declared before the vote.

This was is a grotesque mistake, she said, citing the lack of planning, organization and oversight that has allowed billions to disappear, hamstringing reconstruction efforts.

Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, urged defeat of the measure because of the billions in pork barrel projects that have been tacked on and called on lawmakers instead to produce a clean bill. He also said it would be wrong for Congress to tie the hands of the troops on the ground.

The Marines never quit. Neither should we, Johnson said.

Source: United Press International

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