WASHINGTON — Democrats controlling the House plan to pass legislation this week funding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan into next year.
The plan would give anti-war lawmakers a vote on nonbinding language setting the goal of withdrawing most combat troops by December 2009, said a senior House Democratic aide, though Senate Republicans have the votes to filibuster the move.
The $178 billion-plus measure will also carry legislation costing $16 billion over two years to extend by six months unemployment insurance coverage for jobless people whose benefits have run out. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan would begin to receive a big boost in college aid.
Barring any unexpected developments, it would be the last war funding bill passed during President Bush’s tenure in office. It would bring the amount approved by Congress since Sept. 11, 2001, to fight terrorism and conduct the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to about $875 billion.
Bush has vowed to veto any funding bill exceeding his request, but Democrats are calculating that he’ll be hard-pressed to kill the measure because it offers help for returning soldiers and the long-term unemployed. Or if he does veto the bill, Republicans would face politically risky votes to sustain his veto.
U.S. military death
Latest identification reported by the military of U.S. personnel killed in Iraq:
Army Pvt. Corey Hicks, 22, Glendale, Ariz.; died Friday in Baghdad of wounds from an explosive; assigned to the 1st Battalion, 66th Armor Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
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