Senate loads war funding bill with domestic programs

[katty]

more: http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080520/D90P99I80.html

Senate loads war funding bill with domestic programs

May 20, 5:04 AM (ET)

By ANDREW TAYLOR

(AP) Chart shows breakdown of emergency supplemental bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and...

WASHINGTON (AP) - Despite numerous veto threats, senators in both parties have loaded up President Bush's war funding bill with a grab bag of domestic programs, including work permits for immigrant farm labor and heating subsidies for the poor.

The Senate was scheduled to begin debate on the measure Tuesday, just days after a key panel added more about $28 billion to Bush's budget request for this year and next, with almost $50 billion more for a big expansion of veterans benefits under the GI Bill over 2010-2018.

The new GI Bill and Democratic priorities like extending unemployment benefits are simply the big-ticket add-ons, both of which have drawn veto threats. There's also $50 million to track down child predators, $400 million to help rural schools and $350 million fight western wildfires, just for starters.

Senators are acting as if the war funding bill coming to the floor Tuesday is the last train leaving the station, and, as a result, have added billions of dollars for pet programs and hitched on several policy "riders" as well.

[angstlessk]

1. how dare they spend American taxpayer money on American taxpayers

who in the hell do they think they work for? Americans?? hell no,.IRAQ #1, IRAQ #1, IRAQ #1!!11

[stillcool]

3. yeah..they have to skim it off the top...

The empire first, the nation somewhere way down the list.

[katty]

2. yeah, how dare?! Americans are the biggest suckers on earth

[psychmommy]

4. maybe the repubs will keep rejecting it

and it will force our boys and girls to come out of iraq. just wishful thinking.