House Approves Domestic Spending

[ZombieHorde]

House Approves Domestic Spending
Bush 'Pleased,' But Fight Looms Over Iraq Funds

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 18, 2007; Page A01

The House last night approved a $515.7 billion domestic spending measure that shaves billions from spending levels desired by Democrats and uses emergency spending and other tactics to challenge President Bush on his budget demands.

The legislation, which passed 253 to 154, funds every agency of government but the Defense Department for fiscal 2008. The House then voted 206 to 201 to approve an amendment that includes $31 billion for fighting in Afghanistan but none for the war in Iraq.

Today, the Senate is likely to take up resolutions tying Iraq war funding to the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops. If those fall victim to Republican filibusters, as expected, senators are likely to vote to increase the House's war funding to $70 billion and make it available for Iraq fighting as well. Without such war funds, the president will veto the entire spending bill, the White House said yesterday.

Aside from that outstanding issue, the Bush administration said it is "pleased" with the final spending level, even with the added billions for "emergency" spending on border security, care for veterans and other long-anticipated issues.


More at link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/17/AR2007121702041.html?hpid=topnews