Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=04/11/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=CONGRESS/IRAQ FUNDING (S-UPDATE)

NUMBER=2-302141

BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON

DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

/// EDITORS: UPDATES CR #2-302109 TO REFLECT CONGRESS PASSING THE BILL ///

INTRO: Congress passed a wartime spending bill of nearly 80-billion dollars Saturday. The package combats terrorism, shores up defenses at home and provides new aid to airlines. President Bush is expected to sign it into law quickly. V-O-A's Dan Robinson reports from Capitol Hill:

TEXT: Despite appeals by President Bush against loading the legislation with un-related spending, House and Senate lawmakers did just that.

The bill would provide about 62 billion dollars to the Pentagon to pay initial costs of the war in Iraq.

Another two-and-a-half-billion dollars would go for reconstruction -- far below what most experts estimate the longer-term costs will be.

Also included are additional economic support funds and other aid for key U-S allies such as Israel, Jordan, Turkey, and Pakistan.

A key dispute was over how much control the Pentagon should have in spending the money.

President Bush had initially proposed about 75-billion dollars, with the Pentagon having wide flexibility in determining how the money is spent.

Many lawmakers opposed this, saying it weakened congressional authority.

Amendments by Republicans and Democrats boosted the total to almost 80-billion dollars. (signed)

NEB/DAR/MEM/TW