U.S. Senate rebuffs Bush on war budgeting (no more "emergency funding")

http://today.reuters.com/investing/financeArticle.aspx?type=bondsNews&storyID=2006-06-14T224216Z_01_N14267878_RTRIDST_0_IRAQ-CONGRESS-USA.XML

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate voted unanimously on Wednesday to force President George W. Bush to submit a budget for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars instead of financing them in emergency bills that are pushed through Congress with minimal scrutiny.

As Congress prepared to pass an emergency bill with $65.8 billion the Pentagon urgently wanted for the wars, the Senate voted 98-0 to end the practice and make the administration lay out the wars' expected costs in its annual budget submitted to Congress in February.

The vote came on an amendment to legislation spelling out defense policies for next year that is expected to trigger a broader debate on Iraq. Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said he would push an amendment calling for the withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of this year, while other Democrats are considering measures calling for a phased withdrawal.

Including the latest emergency bill, the wars' cost will reach $420 billion, said Sen. John McCain, an Arizona Republican who sponsored the amendment.

"We're adding hundreds of billions to conveniently named emergency expenditures" that do not have to be accounted for in the budget, he said.

...more...

My, how the mighty have fallen.

:-), Kicked, we need some good news on the top of DU.

Who wasn't there?

I'm shocked there weren't any suckups who wanted to give continuing carte blanche to Cons.

Just curious.

like this is really gonna happen.

There's no end to this shame.


June 13, 2006




The repugs voted *for* this amendment because they knew they would never be able to justify it in a floor debate. So, they make themselves out to be *heroes* in public, but let their shadowy network strip it back out of the spending bill. Nice, huh?

or senate anymore? He can just wipe out all their efforts by this signing statement thing. Why isn't Reid or somebody screaming about this?

No way around that.

...100 new cells in Guantanamo for these 'asymmetric' Congressmen.

It's officially over. Bush's good week just went down the drain.

Make this piss-poor excuse for a president beg on his knees for the money, and then say NO!

101st Fighting Keyboarders Attack! Bring in the 82nd Chairborne Division!

Thanks for doing what you are being paid for: Representing We the People!!!

U.S. OUT OF IRAQ!

BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!!!

CANNOT WAIT FOR 2008!!!

On edit: That is FANTASTIC! A unanimous vote for the first time ever that I am aware of and this is probably one of THE most important things that could have been done by the U.S. Senate. It sends out a message loud and clear! No more for for the Iraq war! :D :D :D :D :D :party:

THANK YOU SENATORS! THANK YOU!!! :D


:dem: :kick: :kick: :kick:

Can't wait for 2006.

Democratic House and Senate in 2006=Hearings, investigations and impeachments in 2007.

Peace

:)

but in a good way I guess.

and I am very happy about it and I hope that this is the beginning of the end for the Iraq/Afghanistan crap. No $98 billion more. Lame duck * has no options on this one. :nopity: for you *.

Bring our troops home now! :D

:dem: :kick:

One little finger in the whole leaking dike....


After 230 years, we are seeing the end of the ending.

'Bout freakin time!

late--they should have been doing this all the long instead of avoiding their Constitutional role as a 'check' on the Bush war balance...

But it will all be for naught anyhow, this 'spine' will crumble at the first sign of a new Bush war and the blank checks will be again issued by a Congress scared shitless that their patriotism will be questioned and accused of jeopardizing 'national' security.

Even with the signing statements, * still has trouble ignoring Congress when it comes to getting funding.

Mid-Term Elections?

I thought you could.

-Hoot

:wow: :wow: :wow:

Does anyone think that the Zerkawi "hit" was in the bag?

Criminals.

RepubliCONs have touted that BORROWING has been less than 5% GDP in order to pacify and fool conservatives that the excessive borrowing in not excessive.

The SPECIAL Iraq war funding bills did not go into the budget so, the over 5% situation was hidden.

Will the R's have trouble going over 5%?

Will the R's move to stop borrowing just in time for Dem takeover tying the hands of us good guys?

Inquiring minds want to know... I want to know.

Two key paragraphs:

The amendment would only apply to war spending and would allow additional emergency Pentagon spending with justification.

The House of Representatives passed its version of the defense authorization bill in May without a similar measure to end the war supplementals.


It sounds nice, but the monkeys will have to wait until Congress actually "enforces" this before flying out my ass.

My thoughts exactly. Gotta do something to convince the voters we are on their side. Smoke and mirrors.

.

This is way too good to be true. If six or seven repukes, or even 20 who had to stand for re-election, had come over to give the Dems a majority, I'd believe this is real. But there's no way in hell every single repuke decided to stand up to *asshat.

They've given themselves an out of some kind. We'll see later what it is.