House OKs $92B for wars

WASHINGTON: The House voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to give President Bush $92 billion more for Iraq and Gulf Coast hurricane relief, despite bipartisan worries about the ballooning costs of the war and the recovery effort. The bulk of the bill, $67.6 billion, would pay for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

On a 348-71 vote, Republicans and Democrats joined to support the measure, eager to vote to back troops in the field and help hurricane reconstruction eight months before a congressional election - even at a time of massive budget shortfalls. (*From the Washington State House Delegation, only McDermott and Inslee voted "Nay") tls

Several anti-war Democrats objected.(*See the list of members voting "Nay" below) tls "Not one more dime for this administration's ill-conceived, ill-advised, misguided and failed Iraq policy," said Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio.

AP-Ipsos polling in early March showed that about four in 10 Americans supported the president's handling of Iraq, his efforts on foreign policy and terrorism, and his handling of the hurricane recovery. (*That would be six in ten who do not support anything to do with George W. Bush) tls. Despite such widespread public dissatisfaction, lawmakers from both parties backed the measure. Opposing it would invite election-year criticism for Republicans and Democrats alike that they were shortchanging troops at war or abandoning hurricane victims. "Everybody supports the troops and everyone knows that as long as they're there, we're going to give them what they need," said Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash. "I just regret that we have to pass this (debt) on to future generations." (* Regrets and $67 Billion would buy allot of healthcare) tls.

The Senate plans to complete its version of the measure this spring. Congress is to send a final bill to the president's desk shortly thereafter.

Friends,
An overwhelming majority of the American people are ready for this misadventure to end. 25% of the troops are ready to come home today and another 50% say they should come home by the end of the year. There is still time to make a difference here. Write, fax, phone your Senator and tell them to oppose any further funding unless it is allocated specifically for the support and safety of our troops to be re-deployed out of Iraq. It is not too late in the House either. By specifying the re-deployment of our troops, the Senate version would have to go back to the House for reconciliation.

By the way, after you contact your senator, reach out to these 71 bipartisan members of the US House and thank them for standing up for peace and principle.

Abercrombie, Baldwin, Blackburn (R), Blumenauer, Campbell (CA)(R), Cannon (R), Capps, Clay, Coble (R), Conyers, Cooper, Costello, Cubin (R), Deal (GA) (R), Eshoo, Farr, Flake (R), Frank (MA), Gohmert (R), Grijalva, Gutierrez, Hensarling (R), Hinchey, Holt, Inslee, Jackson-Lee (TX), Johnson, Sam (R), King (IA) (R), Kucinich, Lee, Lewis (GA), Maloney, Markey, McCollum (MN), McDermott, McGovern, McHenry (R), McKinney, McNulty, Meehan, Michaud, Miller, George, Moore (WI), Neal (MA), Neugebauer (R), Olver, Owens, Pallone, Paul (R), Payne, Pence (R), Petri (R), Rangel, Rothman, Schakowsky, Sensenbrenner (R), Serrano, Solis, Stark, Tancredo (R), Thompson (CA), Tierney, Velázquez, Waters, Watson, Watt, Waxman, Weiner, Westmoreland (R), Woolsey, Wu

How many more have to die to save Norm Dick's from having to pass debt on to our children and grandchildren?

Peace,

Chad (The Left) Shue