Democrats Reject G.O.P. Bid for More Iraq Spending

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Democrats Reject G.O.P. Bid for More Iraq Spending

By ROBERT PEAR
Published: November 6, 2007

WASHINGTON, Nov. 6 — House and Senate negotiators approved a $459 billion military spending bill today, but rejected a Republican bid to provide $70 billion more to continue fighting the war in Iraq without any restrictions.

Senior Democrats said they would provide less money for the war, for a shorter time, with certain restrictions that are to be decided in the next few days.

Senator Ted Stevens, Republican of Alaska, urged the House and Senate negotiators to provide the $70 billion for six months of combat in Iraq.

Senator Robert C. Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat who is chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said: “This amendment would send to the president additional funding for his horrible, misguided war in Iraq without any Congressional direction that he change course. No strings attached. That would be a tragic mistake.”

The new Democratic leaders of Congress have repeatedly been stymied in their efforts to bring troops home from Iraq or force a change in President Bush’s policy there. But the Democrats made clear today that they would try again to change course by using the power of the purse — what James Madison called “the most complete and effectual weapon with which any constitution can arm the immediate representatives of the people.”

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http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/06/washington/06cnd-cong.html