Bush Wins War Budget Battle

Senate approves $70 billion in war funds
By Peter Fearon,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 19, 2007 3:39 AM CST
Bush Wins War Budget Battle
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn. a former Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, left, raises his arm in support for Republican Presidential hopeful, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., after endorsing him at the American Legion in Hillsborough. Tuesday Lieberman again sided with Republicans in a vote on funding...   (Associated Press)

The White House last night won a major victory in the Senate—securing $70 billion in funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, free of the restrictions linked to troop withdrawals Democrats had insisted on for weeks. In a budget deal that ended months of wrangling, the Senate passed a massive $555 billion spending bill that combined funds for government agencies with money for the wars.

Democrats put a positive spin on their war-funding climbdown, and stressed that they were able to steer money to their priorities. "The Grinch tried to steal Christmas, but we didn't let him get all of it," said Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. The war funding goes back to the House for a final vote expected oday. (More Iraq stories.)

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