|
Dems back republican resolution supporting war { January 2007 } Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=auZxfFGT3rr0&refer=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=auZxfFGT3rr0&refer=
Democrats Back Republican Resolution on U.S. Troops (Update3)
By Nicholas Johnston
Feb. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Senate Democrats pledged support for a resolution drafted by Republican Senator John Warner of Virginia that opposes President George W. Bush's Iraq strategy, adding momentum to the proposal that may be voted on next week.
Democrat Joe Biden of Delaware said he would support Warner's resolution, abandoning a competing measure he introduced. Majority Leader Harry Reid said the chamber may vote as early as today on whether to begin debating Iraq war policy and Warner's measure should be the focus.
``We believe he has now attracted enough bipartisan support for his version that we can use it as the starting point for our debate,'' Richard Durbin of Illinois, the Senate's No. 2 Democrat, told reporters in Washington.
Senators from both parties are mulling whether to vote on a measure to express opposition to Bush's plan to send 21,500 more U.S. troops to Iraq. Democratic support for Warner's measure makes it more likely the Senate will approve a resolution that may be politically damaging to Bush. Warner's measure says the Senate ``disagrees'' with Bush's proposal.
Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq may cost up to $27 billion during the first year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. The nonpartisan agency said the price tag of the administration's so-called ``surge'' could range from $20 billion to $27 billion over the first 12 months. A four-month deployment would cost between $9 billion and $13 billion, CBO said.
Levin
Durbin and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, a Michigan Democrat, both said last night they will support the Warner measure after it was changed to require the Iraqi government to meet certain benchmarks and make clear that it doesn't support cuts in funding for troops already deployed.
In a speech on the Senate floor today, Biden said he decided to back Warner's measure after it was revised to make it clear there was no ``possibility that it could be read for calling for more troops in Iraq.''
Biden's competing resolution was approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week. It contains a provision saying Bush's plan is ``not in the national interest.''
Nonbinding
Even if a nonbinding resolution critical of Bush's Iraq policy passes Congress, ``the president will continue to exercise his responsibilities as commander in chief and do what he thinks is going to be best for American security,'' White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said in Washington.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal editorial board published today, Bush said Congress has authority to cut off or limit funding for the war to block deployment of additional troops to Iraq.
``They have the right to try to use the power of the purse to determine policy,'' Bush said, according to excerpts. ``I've analyzed every plan, and I think this one has the best chance of success.'' The president wouldn't say if he would veto such legislation, the newspaper said.
Republicans who back the president's policy stepped up their opposition to any nonbinding resolution in the past two days. Senator John Cornyn of Texas said Senate approval of such a measure would encourage enemies of the U.S. and undermine the nation's allies.
``Political statements are exactly what we ought not to be making,'' Cornyn said yesterday.
Cuts
Warner's provision opposing cuts in funding for U.S. troops earned the ire of Democratic Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, who has introduced a separate measure that would end funding for forces deployed in Iraq after six months, forcing their withdrawal. He has called passage of a nonbinding resolution ``a sideshow.''
``The American people have rejected the president's Iraq strategy, and it's time for Congress to end our military involvement in this war,'' Feingold said in a statement yesterday. ``We must redeploy our troops from Iraq so that we can focus on the global threats that face us.''
Other proposals from both Democrats and Republicans are likely to be considered during debate of the Warner resolution. Democrats, including Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, may push for measures capping the number of U.S. troops in Iraq.
Republicans, including John McCain of Arizona, are likely to propose a resolution endorsing the president's plan but calling on the Iraqi government to meet certain benchmarks for continued U.S. support.
Bring Them Home
Democrat Robert Byrd of West Virginia, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said today he will introduce binding legislation to rescind the authority for the war Congress granted in 2002 and require the withdrawal of troops once certain conditions in Iraq are met.
``This administration continues to disregard the will of the American people,'' Byrd said on the Senate floor. ``It believes it can continue to ignore the message that is coming, yes, from the American people loud and clear: bring our sons and daughters home.''
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky objected to Reid's request that the Senate skip the Biden resolution and proceed directly to the Warner measure next week. Negotiations between Republican and Democratic leaders are continuing today to set a schedule for debating the Warner resolution, instead of the Biden measure.
Republican Support Needed
Leaders of both parties say that any resolution will require 60 votes to pass the Senate. Otherwise, it wouldn't clear a procedural hurdle that would prevent the measure from coming to a vote.
While Democrats control the chamber 51-49, three Democrats won't vote for the measure: Feingold, Connecticut's Joe Lieberman, who was elected as an independent and supports Bush's plan, and South Dakota's Tim Johnson, who is recovering from surgery.
Six Republicans had previously supported the Warner measure, so at least six more Republicans would be required to gain the necessary 60 votes. About five Republicans have expressed some support for Warner's proposal without explicitly saying they would vote for it.
Last Updated: February 1, 2007 14:29 EST
|
|
