Senate Joins With House in Quietly Voting Another $9 Billion for Occupation of Iraq

[babylonsister]

Senate Joins With House in Quietly Voting Another $9 Billion for Occupation of Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Fri, 2007-09-28 04:19. Congress



Congress Quietly Approves Billions More for Iraq War
By John Nichols, the Nation

The Senate agreed on Thursday to increase the federal debt limit by $850 billion -- from $8.965 trillion to $9.815 trillion -- and then proceeded to approve a stop-gap spending bill that gives the Bush White House at least $9 billion in new funding for its war in Iraq.

Additionally, the administration has been given emergency authority to tap further into a $70 billion "bridge fund" to provide new infusions of money for the occupation while the Congress works on appropriations bills for the Department of Defense and other agencies.

Translation: Under the guise of a stop-gap spending bill that is simply supposed to keep the government running until a long-delayed appropriations process is completed -- probably in November -- the Congress has just approved a massive increase in war funding.

The move was backed by every senator who cast a vote, save one.

Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold, the maverick Democrat who has led the fight to end the war and bring U.S. troops home from Iraq, was on the losing end of the 94-1 vote. (The five senators who did not vote, all presidential candidates who are more involved in campaigning than governing, were Democrats Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Joe Biden and Republicans John McCain and Sam Brownback.)

Said Feingold, "I am disappointed that we are about to begin the 2008 fiscal year without having enacted any of the appropriations bills for that year. I am even more disappointed that we voted on a continuing resolution that provides tens of billions of dollars to continue the misguided war in Iraq but does not include any language to bring that war to a close. We need to keep the federal government operating and make sure our brave troops get all the equipment and supplies they need, but we should not be giving the President a blank check to continue a war that is hurting our national security."

more...

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/27243

[Solly Mack]

1. wonder how many dead bodies 9 billion can buy?

[MadHound]

2. Of course the Senatorial Dems cave on this

While the Presidential candidates who are in the Senate apparently couldn't be bothered. The only candidate who actually voted NO on this was, surprise, surprise, Kucinich.

So what's that difference between the parties again?

[babylonsister]

3. Errr, wrong part of Congress. Did you even read it? This is talking

about the Senate, and Feingold is the only one who voted against it.

[MadHound]

4. Err, yes I did, but hey, thanks for talking down to me in such a condescending manner.

"In the House, the continuing resolution passed by a vote of 404 to 14, with 14 other members not voting.

The "no" votes in the House, all cast by anti-war members, came from one Republican, Ron Paul of Texas, and 13 Democrats: Oregon's Earl Blumenauer, Missouri's William Clay, Minnesota's Keith Ellison, California's Bob Filner, Massachusetts' Barney Frank, New York's Maurice Hinchey, Ohio's Dennis Kucinich, Washington's Jim McDermott, New Jersey's Donald Payne, California's Barbara Lee, Maxine Waters, Diane Watson and Lynn Woolsey."

The article goes on to mention that indeed, the only Dem presidential candidate who voted against this was indeed Kucinich. On the 'Pug side they had Ron Paul voting against it.

Anything else?

[babylonsister]

5. I'm sorry; didn't mean to be condescending, but

you're talking apples and oranges. Whatever. And I happen to like Kucinich, but like the fact that Feingold again showed bravery by going against the flow.

[MadHound]

7. It isn't apples and oranges, one was the Senate version of the bill,

One was the House version of the same bill. I'm happy that Feingold voted against it, God knows we need more people of conviction like him in the Senate.

I was simply pointing out that once again, Kucinich was the only presidential candidate who was on the right side of the issue, voting against war and for peace.

Peace:hi:

[B Calm]

6. Didn't they attach a hate crime bill, which will be vetoed by Bush?

[babylonsister]

8. I haven't heard that * will veto this one, though the rethugs in the

Senate might try to find a way around it.

* wants to veto the childrens insurance bill.

I did read yesterday that Kennedy's (hate crimes) bill replaced one Levin had proposed that there was no expectation of being passed; now to just remember where I read that. If I do, I'll post it.

[B Calm]

9. Senate Dems Tie Hate Crime Bill, War Spending

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/092707R.shtml

[babylonsister]

10. I saw that; also note 'the wh has no immediate comment'.

I've been searching but can't find what this bill replaced; I think it had something to do with redeploying troops (Levin's bill) but the Dems figured that was a lost cause at this point.

Either way, this amendment is not safe yet, looks like.

[B Calm]

11. So if Bush vetoes that will be proof he don't support the troops!