By Jen DiMascio
House and Senate leaders are crafting standalone legislation that would provide about $50 billion in funding for the war in Iraq between November and January, when lawmakers intend to begin debate on the president’s full supplemental request.
At the end of last month, Senate leadership was adamantly opposed to a bridge fund, saying it would provide a blank check for the war in Iraq.
Republicans yesterday sought to add a $70 billion bridge fund for the war to the defense appropriations bill and denounced its omission.
“Surely in the conference on the [Department of Defense] bill they would provide the money for this war effort, but it’s not there, and in fact, they’ve made it clear it’s not going to be there. Some on other side of the Capitol here, in fact, have talked about a slow-bleed strategy to end the war by simply not providing the funds necessary to carry it out,” Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) told reporters.
Democrats said yesterday they are working on a bill to provide some war funding, but it will come with strings attached that would begin to bring troops home from Iraq.
“I have crafted legislation that will provide the funding our troops need while at the same time sending a clear message to the president that we must transition the mission in Iraq to encourage Iraqis to take a much greater role in securing their future,” said Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WVa.), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, during a meeting to approve the conference report on the defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 2008.
“It is my hope that such legislation will be debated in the House and Senate very soon,” Byrd said.
Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), the chairman of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, said he guessed the fund would provide about $50 billion and would send a message to the Iraqi government that U.S. support was not infinite.
In discussing the bridge fund, Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), the chairman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee, said it is his goal to begin a safe withdrawal that would bring troops home by December 2009.
Murtha told reporters it is likely to come to the House floor on Thursday, the same day the House considers the defense appropriations bill.
Leadership was scheduled to meet after press time tonight to discuss the strategy further.
Senate Marjority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) did not discuss details of the bridge fund and suggested such language was unlikely to come up this week on the Senate floor, citing a list of other items that he intends to consider.