- Sat. May. 17, 2008
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Democratic leaders have reached a consensus that the emergency war funding bill considered in the House will have a limited domestic spending component and not embrace controversial war policies, House Democratic leadership sources said Wednesday.
Although final decisions have not been made about specifics and timing, aides said the leaders generally agree that the domestic spending component will be “relatively narrow.” The decision reflects the need to avoid running up the tab in the face of a promised White House veto of any bill larger than the $108 billion needed for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of FY08.
“There is pretty broad recognition that we do not need to have a lot of domestic spending in there,” said one senior Democratic leadership source. “The question is: Do you do a second stimulus package?”
Democratic leaders considered making the war measure a vehicle for additional stimulus efforts, such as an expansion of unemployment benefits, but aides said any stimulus package would likely be limited at best. The aides contended Republican lawmakers would be hard-pressed to oppose the domestic spending provisions that do end up being considered.
Despite the veto threat, the leaders are still considering combining the administration’s request with an additional $70 billion requested for the first several months of FY09. Majority Leader Hoyer acknowledged Wednesday that the measure would exceed Bush’s request, but declined to be more specific.
“I am sure it will [top Bush’s cap], contrary to the administration’s sending tablets down from the mount,” Hoyer said.
The bill is being hashed out behind closed doors with only key players involved. It is expected to bypass the Appropriations Committee and go straight to the House floor, a move that Republicans have called an abuse of House rules. But taking the final package directly to the floor will help Democratic leaders avoid the difficulties raised by fervent anti-war interests in their own party and Republicans eager to amend any package.
Anti-war Democrats continue to push for inclusion of tough policies aimed at ending the war, but they have been largely shut out of the negotiations over the bill. Out of Iraq Caucus leaders Reps. Lynn Woolsey, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters of California met Wednesday with House Speaker Pelosi to make their case. Before the meeting, Waters said she wanted a separate vote on a “fully funded withdrawal from Iraq” provision, but such a vote is unlikely.
While Democratic leaders are expected to hold separate votes on war policy and spending for domestic programs in addition to the specific war funding, leadership sources said they will not include withdrawal timetables and other controversial war provisions. Instead, aides said that the thinking is running in favor of consensus policies that have received bipartisan support.
Possibilities include anti-torture language and promoting the closure of the military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. House leaders are also said to be considering language treating future spending on Iraq’s infrastructure as a loan that must be repaid, an idea that has garnered some interest in the Senate.
4/24/2008 AM Contents
- Dem Leaders To Limit Supplemental Bill
- Hispanic Caucus Lashes Out At Leaders
- CAFTA Complaint Might Affect Ongoing Colombia Standoff
- Stevens Drafts Bill To Fix ‘Phantom’ Phone Traffic Problem
- Lawmakers Apply Pressure To Withdraw ‘First-Sale’ Rule
- House Panels Approve Different Parts Of Housing Stimulus
- Senate Comes Up Short In Bid To Proceed To Pay Measure
- House Overwhelmingly Passes Medicaid Rules Moratorium
- Officials Question Cost, Scope Of E-Mail Storage Measure
- GAO Report Finds Collection Of ‘Dumping’ Penalties Lacking
- Senate Aides Trying To Close Deal On FAA Reauthorization
- Two-Week Farm Bill Extension Eyed To Wrap Things Up
