UPDATE: AP News Alert:
WASHINGTON (AP) The House has passed legislation funding the Iraq war without a troop withdrawal deadline, and the Senate is expected to follow suit tonight.Of course, the pork will still be there...
UPDATE 2: Via email:
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) joined nearly every Republican in strongly supporting passage of an emergency war funding bill that provides the resources needed by our troops in harm’s way. Eighty-six Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the proposal; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) opposed it. Boehner issued the following statement:“Because Republicans stayed unified in support of our troops in harm’s way, Democrats were forced to drop the surrender dates so Congress could provide them with the resources they need to be successful. Ever since the President first requested additional troop funding on February 5th, Congress has been unnecessarily bogged down by talk of arbitrary conditions and slow-bleed strategies designed to hamstring our troops and undermine our generals. Today we finally moved past that and did the right thing by funding our troops in harm’s way.
“Republicans also managed to force Democrats to cut some $4 billion in spending unrelated to the war, though billions more remains. It’s a sad commentary on the majority that providing for our troops and ensuring their success ranks on the same level as salmon fisheries and other non-war spending items. We shouldn’t have to grease the wheels for our fight with al Qaeda by funding the pork-barrel projects of a few Members of Congress, and the fact that we do shows the majority does not take the Global War on Terror seriously.
“In the end, this bill is a victory for our troops and for anyone who believes America must succeed in the Global War on Terror. Republicans are unified in support of victory over al Qaeda and will continue to support General Petraeus, our soldiers, and their efforts to succeed.”
