Deal allows separate Senate vote on war funding

[Terri]

By ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press
May 22, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- In a move that could doom billions of dollars that Democrats had sought for domestic programs, Senate leaders agreed Wednesday night to allow separate votes on President Bush's request for Pentagon operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and a proposal to greatly expand veterans' education benefits.

The Senate was slated to vote Thursday to provide $165 billion for the wars, funding those operations until the new administration takes over next year. GOP leaders were expected to try to block the amendment aimed at the GI Bill -- authored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va. -- to send a ''clean'' war funding bill back to the House. Democrats expressed cautious confidence that they would win the 60 votes needed to adopt it.

The plan announced Wednesday night by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., could scuttle efforts to provide 13 more weeks of unemployment benefits as well as money for heating subsidies, fighting Western wildfires and aid to rural schools, among other programs. Such spending had been backed by senators in both parties but had drawn a veto promise from Bush.

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[elmerck1]

It worked pretty good, considering all things. It was still bloated, and needed to be thinned down.