House Democrats seek more war funds than Bush

[Judi Lynn]

House Democrats seek more war funds than Bush
22 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Democrats will more than fully fund President George W. Bush's request for money to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year, but they are still debating conditions that could be attached, senior members of the U.S. House of Representatives said on Thursday.

"There will be $98 billion for the military part," about $5 billion above the Bush administration's request, said Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record), chairman of a defense spending panel overseeing war funds.

Murtha told reporters Democrats were still discussing provisions he wants to attach requiring that U.S. soldiers have proper training, adequate equipment and enough rest before being deployed into combat in Iraq. "We don't have it yet. We keep going back and refining it," Murtha said.

But he sketched out a certification process that could be tougher than one floated earlier this week in which Bush would have been given flexibility to "waive" Murtha's requirements.
(snip/...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070301/pl_nm/iraq_funding_congress_dc

[endarkenment]

1. Idiots. nt.

[leftchick]

2. yes! americans will really go for this!!

:sarcasm:

[TroglodyteScholar]

3. WTF are our guys doing?

I'd say "WTF are our guys up to," but I really think implying there's an actual plan would be giving them too much credit.

[youngdem]

4. Trojan Horse

Trying to trap Bush with 'not fully funding the troops' if he doesn't sign the bill with more money, while putting our own terms on the money.

Hope it works. Pretty weak though.

[yurbud]

5. one problem with this ploy: signing statements.

it would work with a president who halfway played by the rules. Bush wipes his ass with the Constitution.

[yurbud]

6. why don't they just moon us, call us suckers, and go kiss Bush on the lips?

they are doing a song and dance for the anti-war movement, but showing their true colors with dollars and cents.

[rodeodance]

7. $ goes to Head injures, psy problems. Yet, I would like to see as separate

bills. This headline is not good for the Dems!

.......The additional money House Democrats want to add in includes $1 billion more for U.S. troops girding for a spring offensive in Afghanistan, Murtha said, and nearly $1 billion more to treat wounded American soldiers suffering from brain injuries and psychological problems related to combat.

With other add-ons to the massive spending bill, including more U.S. Gulf Coast rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina, possible aid to farmers who have suffered crop losses and around $3 billion added in to help close some U.S. military bases and modernize others, the price tag could rise significantly above $100 billion, according to several lawmakers and congressional aides.

[struggle4progress]

11. Separate bills is exactly the right idea

Funding for A - with conditions
Funding for B - with conditions
Funding for C - with conditions ...

[GeorgeGist]

8. Evil hypocrites!!!!!!!!!!!

[Robbien]

9. What the dems are adding

Bush's 2007 request:

-$93.4 billion for Pentagon operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

-$6 billion for State Department diplomatic and foreign aid in Iraq and Afghanistan.

-$3.4 billion for housing assistance and infrastructure improvements associated with Hurricane Katrina.

-$200 million for other agencies.

Potential congressional add-ons to the bill:

-$4 billion in drought relief for farmers in the Great Plains.

-$3.1 billion for military base construction and closings.

-$1.3 billion for New Orleans levee improvements.

-$1.2 billion in relief, unemployment, food and housing aid arising out of a freeze that destroyed citrus, avocado and other crops in California's Central Valley.

-$745 million to deal with a shortfall in the State Children's Health Insurance Program in 14 states.

-$400 million for a one-year extension of payments to rural counties in the Pacific Northwest to make up for timbering cutbacks in national forests.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6447608,00.html

basically the Dems are adding pork which Republicans refused to consider in the last six years

[Le Taz Hot]

10. And the oversight for fund distribution

is where? Ref.: Iraq.

And that $1.2 billion in relief -- how much do you think will go to the farm workers and family farms. Ref.: ADM

I'm not trying to be snarky here, just wanted to bring up a point.