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thedrifter
04-13-07, 03:53 PM
Byrd: Pentagon not out of money for war
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Apr 13, 2007 12:13:11 EDT

The powerful Senate Appropriations Committee chairman who will help put together a final wartime supplemental funding bill said Thursday that he does not believe the services are about to run out of money.

In the face of increasingly dire warnings from the Defense Department about steps being taken to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan because Congress has not approved a war budget, Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said the White House has “taken on the regular practice of demonizing” Congress for not passing the bill, and claiming that the Army is on the verge of running out of money.

“What nonsense,” Byrd said.

Byrd said the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service estimates the Army has $52 billion to cover expenses through the end of May.

“Unless the administration has some new military adventure up its sleeve that the country doesn’t know about, that $52 billion will easily pay for continued operations in Iraq,” Byrd said, accusing the Bush administration of fear-mongering.

“The White House is spinning an imaginary tale of doom and gloom to try to scare the Congress and the country,” he said.

Byrd said when the House returns Monday from a two-week break, work will begin on a compromise bill.

“Our goal is to have the final legislation to President Bush by the end of the month,” Byrd said. “It is time for the White House to drop this trumped-up crisis talk and get down to the truth.” He noted that the House and Senate have approved separate versions of the 2007 supplemental appropriations that would provide more than $100 billion for war-related costs, including more money for health care for combat veterans and for homeland security.

White House officials and some congressional Republicans have complained that about $20 billion has been added to the bill for members’ pet projects, but Byrd defended the additions.

“I cannot understand how the White House can champion another $3.7 billion to rebuild Baghdad but object to $3.3 billion to rebuild the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast of America,” Byrd said. “I cannot understand how the White House can press Congress to build new hospitals in Iraq but object to $1.7 billion to provide first-class health care for our veterans and another $1.3 billion for our troops returning home from war.

“When this legislation is finished, we will have a responsible plan that provides key resources for our troops, takes care of our veterans returning home from war, and rebuilds the communities laid to waste by Hurricane Katrina,” Byrd said.

Odds are good that the compromise bill sent to President Bush will be vetoed because congressional leaders, including Byrd, intend to include provisions in the bill setting a timetable for withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of 2008, something Bush has said will lead him to issue a veto.

Byrd did not mention what would happen when the bill is returned to Congress, where a veto override appears unlikely. Instead, he said only that he thinks the bill should be signed.

“This is not legislation that should be vetoed by this President. This is legislation that he should sign into law,” he said.

Ellie