Republicans and Democrats Block Each Other’s War Spending Bills
When will they ever learn….. When will they ever learn?
Washington Post, November 16th.
Senate Republicans blocked the latest Democratic effort to end the Iraq war, rejecting a $50 billion funding package that would require President Bush to begin withdrawing U.S. troops.
The 53-45 vote fell seven short of the 60 votes needed for the measure to clear Republican procedural hurdles. A GOP alternative, which would have provided $70 billion with no strings attached, failed 45-53, or 15 votes short of the 60-vote threshold.
The Democratic version, approved by the House earlier this week, would have required President Bush to start a phased redeployment of U.S. forces from Iraq within 30 days of its enactment and shift the military role to specific missions. Those include protecting U. S. diplomatic facilities, assisting Iraqi Security Forces and engaging in targeted counter terrorism operations. It set a December 15, 2008 goal for completing the process.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) said he may bring the Democratic bill back to the floor in December, but he and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have asserted that Bush would not receive more war funding this year unless the president accepts Democratic withdrawal terms.
“Our troops continue to fight and die–and our treasury continues to be depleted–for a peace that we seem far more interested in achieving than Iraq’s own political leaders,” Reid said. “Our bill sets a reasonable goal for the end of combat operations. And it finally ensures that the President will be accountable to the Congress and to the people.” Click Here to read more in the Washington Post.