Bush's Iraq plan heads for GOP trimsHouse may cut funds for reconstructio

[jamesinca]

Bush's Iraq plan heads for GOP trims
House may cut funds for reconstruction

Jonathan Weisman, Washington Post Tuesday, October 7, 2003

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Washington -- Senior House Republicans proposed slicing $1.7 billion out of President Bush's $20.3 billion Iraqi reconstruction request Monday, moving to eliminate such political hot potatoes as $50,000 garbage trucks, new ZIP codes and telephone numbers and the $100 million restoration of the drained marshes of southern Iraq.

The proposed cuts are contained in a new version of the president's $87 billion war and reconstruction request for Iraq and Afghanistan that House Appropriations Committee Republicans circulated Monday.

Fiscal conservatives were angered by what they saw as an overly generous rebuilding effort. Such anger has fueled a drive to convert much, if not all, of the reconstruction aid into loans, to be repaid with Iraqi oil revenue. Bush opposes the idea.

"Hopefully, this will relieve some of the pressure," an Appropriations Committee aide said Monday.

The proposal from Rep. Bill Young, R-Fla., chairman of the Appropriations Committee, would eliminate several of the items most derided by Democrats, including $9 million to establish ZIP codes, $4 million to update Iraq's phone numbers, $10 million to upgrade the business practices of Iraq's television and radio industry, and $20 million for a monthlong "catch-up" business course,

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/07/MN3966.DTL

[izzie]

1. When I was a kid and needed money I did this with my father.

I always asked for a lot more than I needed as he would start the cutting. I had learned early not to ask for just what I needed. This is what the WH has done and then will back slap itself on how they cut alot off what they were asking for. And the congressmen will go home with that in hand.Cutting 1B is silly. Lets cut it down to about 20b total, if we must pay for it. Most is going to set up a corp gov which the people of Iraq will also have to pay for after we the tax payers have paid for it.It is like the drug companies. Tax payers give them money to dream up new pills then we buy them at top dollar.

[priller]

2. Oink oink! Look at all that pork!

Come on, boys, there's enough for everybody!

Another article from last week mentioned that there's no process to doling out these contracts, other than what the CPA (Bremer) says. A businessman was quoted as saying the CPA called up saying, "Hey, we have a contract for you." No bids, no competition, just doling out all that lovely taxpayer funded pork.

I would love to know how "establishing new zip codes" can cost $9 million freakin dollars!

[Stuckinthebush]

3. I'll make a deal with them...

I'll establish zip codes for only 5 million!

Now that's a bargain!

[RamboLiberal]

4. White House officials vowed to fight the proposed cuts.

Subject line is from posted article. Come on Chimpy. Bring it on!