Vote description: This $120 billion dollar package was passed in the Senate by an 80-14 vote on May 24. The bill primarily focuses on funding for the Iraq war but also addresses other unrelated topics.
A previous war funding bill was vetoed by the president because it included troop withdrawal deadlines, which were largely supported by anti-war Democrats.

Ten Democrats opposed this new bill with no withdrawal deadlines, while 37 supported its passage. Congress had to act to replace war funding that would have ended May 28.

According to the Washington Post, this bill includes 18 benchmarks that the Iraqi government must meet to continue receiving reconstruction aid.

One hundred billion dollars in funding is slated to support continuing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The bill says that the President and Congress must not take any action that will endanger the troops and that they provide any funds necessary for training, equipment and other types of support to ensure their safety and the effectiveness of their missions. The president is required to give a first report on the Iraqis' progress in meeting the benchmarks to Congress on July 15.

Seventeen billion dollars in the package is for domestic spending. Out of this funding, $6.4 billion is for Gulf Coast hurricane relief efforts, $3 billion in emergency aid for farmers, $1 billion to upgrade port and mass transit security, $3 billion towards converting closing U.S. military bases to other uses, and $650 million to increase funding for children health care. A Congressional Research Service summary states that the other domestic beneficiaries include state HIV grant programs, mine safety research, youth violence prevention activities, and pandemic flu protection.

Very nicely put, BH

Thats the side most people arent ever allowed to see (like the OP here)

In politics, there are bills that say "lets save the whales" with tiny text that says "by killing all polar bears"

and if you want to save the whales, but dont want to kill all polar bears, all you can do is vote against it.

Then, somewhere, somehow, and someday, someone will use that against you, in a childish and ignorant manner that leaves out the "fine print" as it were, and say "you dont want to save the whales!!!!!!"

same thing applies here.



[edit on 7/23/2008 by Andrew E. Wiggin]

If I didn't realize that Obumma was a paid actor dancing on a stage with heavy puppet strings attached . . .

I'd think he was a real super clueless traitor.

As it is, I just think he's a dumb traitor.

He's a sharp crowd handler.

What a disaster as a leader.

His reality testing is the pits.

His awareness of END TIMES and GLOBALISM EVILS is . . . even for an insider rushing to support the coming tyranny--it's ghastly.

And the people going gahgah over him are worse.

Incredible.