Senate Prepared to OK $87B for Iraq Funds
2003-11-03

People Ted Stevens Event Second Gulf War Iraqi Crisis

WASHINGTON - The Senate prepared to give final congressional approval Monday to an $87.5 billion measure for Iraq and Afghanistan, a package largely mirroring President Bush's request of eight weeks ago.

Senators planned to approve the enormous package by without a roll call vote, underlining the legislation's political sensitivity. Lawmakers are eager to endorse - and were ready to do so by the less formal voice vote - the bill that is mostly for American military operations in the two countries. But some of the lawmakers don't want to be seen as endorsing Bush's post-war Iraq policies. Hence, no formal recorded vote saying which way senators voted.

The vote was set for the day after a missile destroyed a U.S. Army Chinook helicopter, killing 16 American soldiers and wounding 20 others and in one of the bloodiest days since the U.S. invasion last March.

``When we see these bloody headlines of American soldiers being killed, we are reminded that had this been a global coalition ... what we're facing today could have been so much different,'' said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., a critic of Bush's policies.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, said the U.S. effort to help Iraq back onto its feet would continue.

``As the president said time and time again, we will not walk away from Iraq,'' said Stevens, a chief author of the bill. ``We will not leave the Iraqi people in chaos.''

The bill includes $64.7 billion for U.S. troops in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere; $18.6 billion to piece Iraq's economy and government back together, and $1.2 billion for reconstruction in Afghanistan. There is also $500 million for disaster assistance back home, including initial costs of dealing with Hurricane Isabel and California's wildfires.

Bush requested $87 billion on Sept. 7. The bill includes less for Iraqi rebuilding and more for U.S. troops' benefits that he requested, but the administration fought off attempts by lawmakers to make some of the aid to Iraq a loan.

The House approved the bill on Friday by 298-121.

The money is mostly for the federal budget year running through next Sept. 30. AP