Before the Fear Campaign Starts… (I think I am missing something here? from 3/28/2007)

[The Straight Story]

Before the Fear Campaign Starts…
Wednesday, March 28, 2007 at 2:15 PM

To: Reporters
From: House Democratic Caucus Communications Office
Re: Before the Fear Campaign Starts…

Over the course of the last week, President Bush has claimed that the Iraq War supplemental appropriations bill must be passed by April 15th in order to fund our troops. Unfortunately, the President doesn’t have his facts straight when it comes to getting the necessary funds to American troops.

This week, Roll Call reported “the Pentagon has said it does not need the money immediately” and supplemental appropriations bills have been enacted well after April 15 in previous years. In fact, last year President Bush signed the Iraq War supplemental appropriations bill on June 15th, and in each of the past two years under the Republican Congress, it has taken three to four months to pass an Iraq supplemental appropriations bill.

Additionally, according to a letter the President sent to Speaker Pelosi, the President only finalized his Iraq funding request two weeks ago. Now, Democrats are working quickly to fund our troops and change direction in Iraq.

The document below provides some perspective on supplemental appropriations bills. If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Feinberg or Nick Papas in the House Democratic Caucus Communications Office at 202.225.1400.


REPUBLICANS TOOK MONTHS TO PASS IRAQ FUNDING LAST CONGRESS


IN 2005, REPUBLICANS TOOK ALMOST 3 MONTHS TO PASS IRAQ FUNDING

President Requested Supplemental Funding. On February 14, 2005, President Bush submitted his Fiscal Year 2005 supplemental appropriations request to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In total, President Bush requested $82 billion.

House Passed Iraq Funding in March 2005. In March 2005, the House voted for the passage of the bill that would appropriate $81.4 billion in fiscal 2005 supplemental spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan and for disaster assistance to victims of the December 2004 tsunami. The bill would provide $15.5 billion for military personnel, $37.5 billion for operations and maintenance, $18.2 billion for procurement, $1.3 billion for reconstruction in Afghanistan and $4.6 billion for new combat brigades under the Army's force-restructuring plan. The bill, as amended, would prohibit funds in the bill from being used for the security, construction and maintenance of U.S. embassies, such as one in Iraq. It also would provide $656 million for tsunami relief and recovery, and $222 million to reimburse the U.S. military for its tsunami-relief operations.

Conference Report of Iraq Funding Passed in May 2005. In May 2005, the House and Senate voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $82 billion in fiscal 2005 supplemental spending for military operations and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan and for disaster assistance to victims of the December 2004 tsunami. The measure would provide $37.1 billion for military operations and maintenance, $17.4 billion for military personnel and $17.4 billion for procurement. It also would provide $635 million for border security, $907 million for disaster relief for countries affected by the tsunami and $1.7 billion for relief and reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan. The military death gratuity would increase to $100,000 from $12,420 for families of soldiers who died on active duty beginning Oct. 7, 2001. It also would establish national driver's license standards, stiffen asylum requirements and speed completion of a fence on the U.S.-Mexico border.


IN 2006, REPUBLICANS TOOK 4 MONTHS TO PASS IRAQ FUNDING, ADDED $22 BILLION

President Requested Supplemental Funding. On February 16, 2006, President Bush submitted his Fiscal Year 2006 supplemental appropriations request to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. In total, President Bush requested $72.4 billion.

House Passed Iraq Funding in March 2006. In March 2006, the House voted for passage of the bill that would appropriate $91.9 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2006. It would provide $67.6 billion for defense, $4.3 billion for foreign aid and $19.2 billion for hurricane relief. The bill would allow for $750 million to be shifted to fiscal 2006 for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. It would bar DP World, owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates, from taking over operations at various U.S. ports. As amended, it would bar funds from being used to enter into a basing rights agreement between the United States and Iraq that would lead to a permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq.

Conference Report of Iraq Funding Passed in June 2006. In June 2006, the House and Senate voted for adoption of the conference report on the bill that would appropriate $94.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding for fiscal 2006. It would provide $70.4 billion for defense and foreign aid and $19.8 billion for hurricane relief. It would provide $2.3 billion for pandemic flu preparations, and $1.2 billion for border security efforts.


WHY DOES PRESIDENT BUSH NEED FUNDS FASTER THIS YEAR?

President Bush Requested More Iraq Funds. On February 5, 2007, President Bush submitted his request for additional funds to support operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for Fiscal Year 2007 along with his Fiscal Year 2008 budget request. According to the Associated Press, Bush said he would ask for an additional $100 billion. However, President Bush revised his in a March 9, 2007 letter to the Speaker.

House Passed Iraq Funding Bill in March 2007. On March 23, 2007, the House voted for pass of the bill that would appropriate approximately $124 billion in fiscal 2007 emergency funding.

President Bush Claimed Funding Must Be Approved by April 15th, Despite Pentagon Statements to the Contrary. During a press conference, President Bush stated, “The Secretary of Defense has warned that if Congress does not approve the emergency funding for our troops by April the 15th, our men and women in uniform will face significant disruptions, and so would their families.” Iraq funding bills passed the Congress in mid-May 2005 and mid-June 2006 in the 109th Congress under Republican Congress. Roll Call reported that “the Pentagon has said it does not need the money immediately.”

http://dems.gov/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC={449BBE79-704A-423C-AF88-6D9DF9D989D8}&DE={737DBCB8-C89A-4092-A920-DB5740AD6E45}

[rodeodance]

1. this was posted onDU at the time-but the msn goes not gointo the fine print.