The Senate narrowly approved “emergency” money for the Iraq war Thursday that Republicans opposed because the bill also includes timetables for withdrawal and nearly $20 billion in unrelated “pork” spending.
The legislation was approved with a 51-47 vote and faces a long-promised veto by President Bush, who says the timetables will provide hope to enemy terrorists and that domestic spending won’t help win the war.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., applauded the approval of the $121 billion spending bill, saying it gives Bush “everything he asked for,” but declined to say how Democrats on Capitol Hill will respond to a Bush veto.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also warned Bush against making veto threats earlier this week.
“I would extend a hand of friendship to the president, just to say to him, ‘Calm down with the threats,’ ” she said. “There’s a new Congress in town.”
Thursday’s Senate vote went very much along party lines. Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent who normally sides with Democrats, joined Republicans to oppose the measure. Republican Sens. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Gordon Smith of Oregon joined Democrats in supporting it.
Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., called it a “pork and retreat” bill and just prior to the final vote tried stripping out funds for spinach farmers and Christmas tree growers. The Senate overwhelmingly agreed to remove $25 million for spinach growers but left in money for Christmas tree growers.
“This wasn’t a serious effort to fund our troops,” DeMint said. “It was a political statement full of pork-barrel spending.”
