September 7, 2007
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Recently back from his third trip from Iraq, Durbin declared in a speech to the Center for National Policy that members of Congress now face a “moral obligation” to stop funding for the war.
“This Congress can’t give President Bush another blank check for his war in Iraq,” Durbin said. Later, he added, “The Consitution gives Congress a means to force the President to change course: the power of the purse. For the sake of our long-term national security interests, Congress needs to use that authority now.”
Responding to questions from reporters after his speech, Durbin indicated he was not taking the absolutist position against war funding that has been advocated by Democratic presidential candidates Bill Richardson and Dennis Kucinish. Both have argued for a complete cut-off of war funding.
Durbin said he would continue to consider voting for annual defense appropriations bills, which include substantial funding for the war in Iraq as well as funding the rest of the military. And he also said he did not advocate blocking legislation the Senate is to consider later this month re-authorizing the Defense Department that some war critics have said she be used as a vehicle for forcing a troop withdrawal.
But
Durbin said he would no longer support the annual “supplemental” funding packages that the Bush administration has used to pay for the bulk of war costs—unless the legislation includes provisions to change strategy and bring the war to a quick end.“I’m looking for some language in there that gives me some hope that this war is going to end before I will vote for more (funding),” Durbin said in a conversation with reporters.
Durbin pledged he would no long vote for such funding, even if Republicans filibuster alternative funding with restrictions or Bush vetoes alternatives.http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2007/09/durbin_promises_to_oppose_more.html
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