By Emelie Rutherford
President Bush signed yesterday a long-delayed supplement spending bill covering $161.8 billion in war operations for fiscal year 2008 and part of FY ’09–well into the next presidential administration.
“I appreciate that Republicans and Democrats in Congress agreed to provide these vital funds without tying the hands of our commanders, and without an artificial timetable of withdrawal from Iraq,” Bush said yesterday at the White House.
The bill includes less war funding than the administration requested, but also does not include war policy changes Bush would not accept.
“This bill shows the American people that even in an election year, Republicans and Democrats can come together to stand behind our troops and their families,” Bush said.
The legislation includes $1.7 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, $2 billion for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat fund and an array of other vehicles and aircraft including C-17 Globemaster airlifters and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters.
The legislation passed the Senate June 26 and the House June 19.
Because lawmakers passed the supplemental before the Fourth of July recess, the Pentagon will not reprogram $1.6 billion in operation and maintenance funds to cover Army civilian salaries–a requested reprogramming Senate appropriators would only OK if the supplemental was not passed by the holiday break.