#1 Emergency funding right now? Just more lies.
Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 1:21 pm
Link
[quote]WASHINGTON, March 30 — The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has estimated that the Army has enough budget flexibility to pay for its military operations through July in the event that a standoff between the White House and Congress over Iraq holds up the money the administration says it needs for the war effort.
The service’s report, made public Friday by Senate Democrats, said the Pentagon may have to shift money between accounts and curtail some nonessential activities, but said Congress has provided the military with new ability to do so, lessening the potential for disruptions until additional money is approved.
Democrats quickly seized on the findings by the service, which is the research arm of Congress, to defend their handling of the legislation to pay for military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the administration stepped up its efforts to accuse them of delaying money and putting American forces at risk.
The back-and-forth suggested that both sides are digging in for a pitched public relations battle over who bears responsibility for holding up the money, should Mr. Bush veto it because of Congressionally imposed timelines for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
At the White House, Dana Perino, a spokeswoman for the president, took Congress to task for leaving on an Easter break without finishing a final bill to pay for operations through Sept. 30.
“The president was surprised to learn that Congress went on vacation today and that the House didn’t bother to appoint any conferees in which to help try to reconcile the differences between the Senate and the House bills,â€
[quote]WASHINGTON, March 30 — The nonpartisan Congressional Research Service has estimated that the Army has enough budget flexibility to pay for its military operations through July in the event that a standoff between the White House and Congress over Iraq holds up the money the administration says it needs for the war effort.
The service’s report, made public Friday by Senate Democrats, said the Pentagon may have to shift money between accounts and curtail some nonessential activities, but said Congress has provided the military with new ability to do so, lessening the potential for disruptions until additional money is approved.
Democrats quickly seized on the findings by the service, which is the research arm of Congress, to defend their handling of the legislation to pay for military operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the administration stepped up its efforts to accuse them of delaying money and putting American forces at risk.
The back-and-forth suggested that both sides are digging in for a pitched public relations battle over who bears responsibility for holding up the money, should Mr. Bush veto it because of Congressionally imposed timelines for withdrawing troops from Iraq.
At the White House, Dana Perino, a spokeswoman for the president, took Congress to task for leaving on an Easter break without finishing a final bill to pay for operations through Sept. 30.
“The president was surprised to learn that Congress went on vacation today and that the House didn’t bother to appoint any conferees in which to help try to reconcile the differences between the Senate and the House bills,â€