House OKs War Funds: Repubs Leader Applauds "Bi-Partisan Effort"

[Better Believe It]

House OKs war funds
Associated Press
June 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - A long-delayed Iraq war funding bill sailed through the House on Thursday, along with historic increases in college aid for returning troops and help for the unemployed and Midwestern flood victims.

Republican allies of President Bush provided the winning margin in a 268-155 vote to provide $162 billion to fund U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan well into next year.

"The president basically gets a blank check to dump this war on the next president," said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. "I was hoping George Bush would end his war while he's president."

In late-stage talks with Boehner, a key figure in negotiating the overall agreement, Democrats dropped a plan to extend unemployment benefits for an additional 13 weeks in states with particularly high unemployment rates. They also agreed to require people to have worked for 20 weeks in order to be eligible for the extended payments.

In another key concession, House Democrats dropped a provision to pay for the GI college benefits by imposing a half-percentage point income tax surcharge on incomes exceeding $500,000 for single taxpayers and incomes over $1 million earned by married couples.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25260099

House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, says that the war-funding bill is a bipartisan effort and acceptable to most Democrats and Republicans.

[chill_wind]

1. Arrrrrggggggg!!!!!!!

eom

[Lint Head]

2. ALL COWARDS!

:dem: