House Dems To Trim War Request, Add Domestic Spending

Tue. May 6, 2008


House Democratic leaders plan to brief lawmakers today on a supplemental spending bill that would reduce President Bush's war funding request so Democrats can add money for domestic spending.

The leaders are trying to walk a fine line in crafting a bill that has enough domestic spending to attract votes of war opponents without making the price tag large enough to chase away some Republican votes and invite a veto.

"We are trying to bring up something that can pass," one Democratic aide said Monday.

Democratic leaders have envisioned having three separate votes -- one on the actual war funding, a second on domestic and international spending additions and a third on conditions for the funding.

Sources said the nondefense part of the package included money to extend unemployment benefits, a boost above the $770 million Bush requested for international food aid, money for veterans' education programs, Medicaid and other programs. That part of the package would include contractor accountability language that is similar to provisions that have received strong support on the House floor in the past.

Aides said that the $108 billion in funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan requested by the Bush administration for the rest of FY08 will not be matched in the package, and the $70 billion requested to carry over into the first three months of next year might be reduced.

The final price tag has not been floated, but is expected to be less than the total Bush sought.

One Democratic aide said there is some wiggle room for appropriators on the war funding number because the Defense Department has acknowledged in a revised budget request that several billion dollars in emergency funding provided for war operations this year was not needed and will be reprogrammed. Aides said the war policy portion of the package House Appropriations Chairman David Obey discussed with Democratic leaders Monday is largely a rehash of previous war policy votes from last year -- including language on combat readiness, banning the building of permanent military bases in Iraq and anti-torture language. It will include a new provision that Iraq match every U.S. dollar spent on reconstruction in that country.

Sources in the Out of Iraq Caucus conceded the language will mostly serve as a statement of principles and political cover and is not expected to be in the final measure sent to Bush.

"This allows opponents to the war spending to make a statement," said a top aide to one liberal Democratic lawmaker.

Meanwhile, House Appropriations ranking member Jerry Lewis said he intends to obstruct business on the floor to protest a plan House Democratic leaders are considering to bypass the committee process and take the supplemental spending bill directly to the floor for votes.

"Today, the Republicans of the Appropriations committee are taking a stand against the Democrat leadership's blatant disregard of millions of American voters through the degradation of the democratic processes of this institution," Lewis said in a statement.

His comments came Monday, as Republicans used procedural maneuvers to seek to delay action on unrelated, noncontroversial legislation.

"My committee members and I are rising today to protest this shameful attempt by the Democrat leadership to degrade our institution," Lewis said. "We will use every procedural option available to object to this underhanded process, and to ensure the fair representation of the voices and pocketbooks of all Americans."

Lewis added that supplemental spending bills are typically marked up by the House and Senate Appropriation committees and that not to do so would amount to an abuse of the legislative process.

"We, the Republican members of the Appropriations Committee, demand that this polluted, back-door scheme be brought to a halt, and that we return to a proper, fair, and transparent appropriations process."

by Christian Bourge, with Humberto Sanchez contributing

Tue. May 6, 2008

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