Reply #6: Sorry, the first time this was up, it was the Levin-Reid amendment. [View All]

http://www.senate.gov/~levin/newsroom/release.cfm?id=274405

WASHINGTON – Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said the following today regarding his announcement that he would withdraw the Levin-Reid Iraq amendment:

“The purpose of our amendment was to reiterate the Senate position that we should begin the withdrawal of our forces from Iraq within 120 days as a way to pressure the Iraqi leaders to reach a political settlement and to recognize their responsibility for their own country. The amendment included authority for the President to waive the requirement to begin this withdrawal in an effort to avoid a veto.

“The White House indicated to me yesterday that they opposed our amendment even though it included waiver authority for the President. In addition, some of our colleagues interpreted this waiver as a weakening of the original Senate position included in the Supplemental Appropriations Act vetoed by the President, which I do not want to do.

“Since our amendment would not have accomplished the purpose of avoiding a presidential veto, Senator Reid and I decided to withdraw it.”