Senate near deal to advance Iraq funding

By ANDREW TAYLOR – 17 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are offering to drop billions of
dollars in domestic programs from President Bush's war-funding bill in
hopes of avoiding a veto.
But they're insisting on adding a big expansion of education benefits for veterans under the GI Bill.
The
plan by Majority Leader Harry Reid would also provide for passage of
Bush's funding request without restrictions on his conduct of the Iraq
war.
Top Democratic and Republican aides say Senate Republicans
are poised to accept the deal in order to get the bill to President
Bush's desk soon.
Doing that would involve a series of votes on
Thursday. Among the items that would be dropped is a 13-week extension
of unemployment benefits for people whose benefits have run out.
Bush
has been resolute in promising to veto any measure that exceeds his
pending $178 billion request for military and diplomatic operations in
Iraq and Afghanistan into next year. Such vows have involved the
expansion in veterans college aid as well.
Under the proposal,
the Senate would first vote — and reject — a bill pending before the
Senate that's replete with domestic programs added by both Democrats
and Republicans.
Sixty votes — equal to what's needed to overcome filibusters — would be required to pass any piece of the plan.
Then
the Senate would turn to the GI Bill expansion, which is aimed at
guaranteeing returning Iraq war veterans the equivalent of a four-year
education at a public university. It would cost $52 billion over the
next decade and is expected to pass.
Next would come a vote on
$165 billion worth of Pentagon funding to carry the war into next year
for the new administration to take over.
Republicans are expected
to block a Democratic plan to urge Bush to begin redeployment of combat
troops and other strings on his ability to conduct the war in Iraq.
After that debate, the Senate would vote — and pass — the war funding
measure.
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The House would be unable to act until Congress returns from a one-week recess.