Senate Asks Bush for Iraq War-Cost Estimates (by resolution, 61-31)

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate urged the Bush administration on Monday to plan better for the costs of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan instead of relying on a series of stop-gap spending bills.

By a lopsided vote of 61-31, senators approved a non-binding resolution calling on President Bush to submit projected war costs in the U.S. budget plan he submits to Congress each February.

Twenty-one Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the resolution as an amendment to a bill that would provide $81 billion in "emergency" funds to pay for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Senate amendment was offered by Sen. Robert Byrd, a Democrat from West Virginia, who has been a vocal critic of the Iraq war and its costs. Byrd's measure, which was approved with little debate, also would urge Bush to submit to Congress short-term cost estimates for existing military operations by Sept. 1

http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/04/18/senate_asks_bush_for_iraq_war_cost_estimates/

[NYC Liberal]

1. Since when does Bush's gang of criminals care about Congress??

They will simply say that it is a matter of 'national security' and cannot be divulged due to Bush's authority as "commander in chief" during wartime

[MichiganVote]

2. Oh yeah, Bush will get right on it...Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,Ha,

Can't you hear the rummy excuses now

[NYC Liberal]

4. Just like when Asscrack told the Senate he wasn't releasing docs

He didn't even claim "national security"...he just told them he wasn't releasing them because he didn't want to and fuck you too.

[Robbien]

3. This amendment gets attached to the bill and Bush gets the $81B?

Then six months from now along comes another Iraq spending bill with everyone forgetting about the amendment.

[Endangered Specie]

5. "non-binding resolution"

in other words, its about as worthless as monopoly money.

I cannot imagine anyone in the business world write someone an 81 billion dollar blank check and than ask them to try and limit the spending. :banghead:

[dweller]

6. Thank you Bob Byrd.

for all you do.

...get in on record...

dp

[meti57b]

7. Why hard to predict? Just figure $100 BILLION a year. Close enough for

government work.

[leesa]

8. He'll lie again and they will say "OK, just asking, carry on."

[Voltaire99]

9. "...would urge Bush to submit to Congress short-term cost estimates"

Would urge him, eh? Well, he'll take it under advisement, then!

Congress, what poodles!

I appreciate Sen. Byrd, of course. Hardly his fault he's surrounded by sycophants, including within his own party.