Approps Chair Obey Says He'll Block Funding For War Without Withdrawal Date
By Greg Sargent - October 2, 2007, 11:19AM
This is kind of big: Dem Rep. David Obey, the chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, just said at a presser that he'll use his power as committee chair to block future war funding measures if they don't contain clear timetables for withdrawal from Iraq and don't allow for longer troop rest times.
Obey, in a reference to the $190 billion war supplemental requested by President Bush, said the following, according to a transcript provided by the committee:
“I would be more than willing to report out a supplemental meeting the President’s request if that request were made in support of a change in policy that would do three things.
-- "Establish as a goal the end of U.S. involvement in combat operations by January of 2009."
-- "Ensure that troops would have adequate time at home between deployments as outlined in the Murtha and Webb amendments."
-- "Demonstrate a determination to engage in an intensive, broad scale diplomatic offensive involving other countries in the region."
“But this policy does not do that. It simply borrows almost $200 billion to give to the Departments of State, Defense, Energy, and Justice with no change in sight.
“As Chairman of the Appropriations Committee I have absolutely no intention of reporting out of Committee anytime in this session of Congress any such request that simply serves to continue the status quo."
much more at:
http://tpmelectioncentral.com/2007/10/approps_chair_obey_says_hell_block_funding_for_war_without_withdrawal_date.php
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