The Senate Passes the War Funding Bill

Spineless Senators.

Yep, about an hour ago, the Senate passed the war funding bill—which had passed in the House, earlier today. Or, as John Edwards stated, "The Senate caved to President Bush and sent him another blank check to continue the war in Iraq."

The White House stated that Bush will sign the bill.

Here's the vote breakdown: Senate 80-14; House 280-142
(I'll be searching for a list which names the members of Congress who voted "yes" for prolonging this senseless war.)

Here's the scoop: The $120 million bill "funds military operations [with $95 billion], mostly in Iraq, through September. It also includes the first increase in the federal minimum wage since 1997, bringing it up $2.10 an hour to $7.25. And it provides about $20 billion in domestic spending, ranging from money for veterans' health care and hurricane reconstruction to drought relief for farmers and money for state-run children's health insurance programs." The bill has no timelines to withdraw troops from Iraq. Source: www.CNN.com

As some of you may know, Edwards' plan for Iraq is as follows: "Congress should immediately use its funding power to cap troop levels in Iraq at 100,000, stop the ongoing surge and force an immediate drawdown of 40,000 to 50,000 troops, followed by a complete withdrawal in about a year."

So, here's what Edwards had to say tonight:

"Washington failed America today when Congress surrendered to the president's demand for another blank check that prolongs the war in Iraq."

"After tonight, one thing is now perfectly clear: No one else is going to end this war for us. Bush will not listen. Congress will not fight. There's no one left to lead the country now but we the people."

"Each of us has a duty and a responsibility to our troops and to each other to do all that we can to end this war. Under the Constitution of the United States of America, we the people are the sovereign and the ultimate deciders--and by all that I know is right we will succeed in bringing our troops home."