Focus of Iraq War Debate Shifts to House

[bigtree]

CQ
Thu Jul 19, 7:36 AM ET

With the Senate deadlocked over Iraq, the focus turns to the House, where Democrats plan several votes designed to hasten an end to U.S. involvement in the conflict.

When the House Appropriations Committee takes up a draft fiscal 2008 Defense appropriations bill July 25, it will consider amendments that would set troop readiness standards and ban permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq, among others. Also next week, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., will bring to the full House another Iraq-related measure that aides said is still taking shape.

In the House, a withdrawal proposal is not expected during the markup of the Defense spending bill, a Democratic aide said. Instead, one likely amendment would establish minimal standards for training and equipping units before deployment. Another would require military personnel spend as much time at home between tours as they do deployed. A third would ban permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.

Either John P. Murtha, D-Pa., the Defense subcommittee chairman, or James P. Moran, D-Va., a member of the panel, will propose an amendment in the committee that would reduce funding for the detention center at Guant?!namo Bay, Cuba, and require the closing of the facility within 180 days, both lawmakers have said.

The Defense appropriations bill won’t come to the House floor until the week before the August recess, meaning that next week’s Iraq vote on the House floor would have to be a stand-alone bill or an amendment to another measure.


Following a Republican member lunch Wednesday with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and hosted by Minority Whip Roy Blunt, R-Mo., House Republicans seemed confident that they could hold solidarity until General David H. Petraeus, the top military commander in Iraq, delivers his much anticipated September report on progress there.

“Everybody’s waiting for September 15th,” said Rep. Bill Shuster, R-Pa., upon emerging from the Gates meeting.


report: http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20070719/pl_cq_politics/focusofiraqwardebateshiftstohouse_1

[JacquesMolay]

1. Put up or shut up, Madame Speaker ...

...n/t

[bigtree]

2. she represents ONE vote

Put up or shut up, Republican Opposition