Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=4/01/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=IRAQ / WAR FUNDING UPDATE (L)

NUMBER=2-301636

BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON

DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

///EDS: UPDATES CR 2-301620 WITH FINA COMMITTEE VOTES///

INTRO: House (of Representatives) and Senate appropriations committees have approved legislation for about 75-billion dollars requested by President Bush to pay initial costs of the war in Iraq. V-O-A's Dan Robinson has a report from Capitol Hill:

TEXT: The House appropriations committee voted 59 to zero to approve the president's request to pay for costs of the war to disarm Iraq. To that, the committee added slightly more than three-billion dollars in aid for the ailing U-S airline industry.

Florida Republican Congressman Bill Young, the committee's chairman, said Congress has a responsibility to fully fund the war effort:

/// YOUNG ACT ///

We in the Congress, along with the president of the United States, have an obligation to the people of America to make sure that we provide whatever is necessary to secure the homeland, and to defeat the sources of terrorism, wherever they might be.

/// END ACT ///

Democrats and Republicans were supportive of the war budget which President Bush had asked not be weighed down by other spending requests.

However, numerous amendments were offered, reflecting strong emotions about the war in Iraq, the costs of reconstruction, and the lack of support for the U-S-led effort by France, Germany, Russia and China.

Republican Congressman Randy Cunningham proposed denying Turkey one-billion dollars in aid because of its refusal to allow U-S ground forces to launch operations from Turkish territory:

/// CUNNINGHAM ACT ///

If we do nothing to send a message that when they cost American and allied blood, and time and money, they're going to do it again.

/// END ACT ///

However, the ranking Democrat on the appropriations committee, David Obey of Wisconsin, opposed the amendment saying it would threaten long-term relations with a valued ally:

/// OBEY ACT ///

Just because they (Turkey) made a mistake in their judgment, we should not compound that mistake by taking a step this morning that would most assuredly cause Secretary Powell more problems than he has right now.

/// END ACT ///

The committee voted down the amendment. It also rejected a proposal to deny participation in Iraq's reconstruction to companies from France, Germany, China, Russia, and others who opposed U-S-led military action in Iraq.

/// OPTIONAL /// Republican Congressman George Nethercutt proposed the amendment, while another Republican, James Walsh, spoke against it:

/// OPT NETHERCUTT/WALSH ACT ///

(NETHERCUTT): It says where there are American tax dollars going for reconstruction, that the coalition of the willing would receive preference, and the coalition of the unwilling would not.

(WALSH): It's not a good way to run our foreign policy. I don't think we should be reactive. We're going to need a lot of help to rebuild this country, and we're going to need a lot of help for the war on terrorism.

/// END ACTS /// /// END OPT ///

The Senate appropriations committee added a bit more than the House did for cash-strained U-S airlines. Senate Democrats, while supportive of U-S troops, expressed concern that not enough money is being devoted to homeland security.

/// OPT /// Here is Democratic leader Tom Daschle:

/// DASCHLE ACT ///

We need to apply the same vigilance, the same commitment, that we're showing abroad, to our anti-terrorism efforts, here at home. We can't hang on to the September 10th priorities, in a post-September 11th world. Regrettably, the administration's supplemental (Iraq) budget seems to do that.

/// END ACT /// /// END OPT ///

A number of Democratic Senators plan to introduce amendments when the Iraq war budget is debated by the full Senate, aiming to increase spending for homeland security.

President Bush has asked Congress to get a final bill to his desk no later than the middle of next week. After the Senate and House vote on the Iraq war legislation, it still must be reconciled before a final version goes to the president for signature. (signed)

NEB/DAR/RH