The House Appropriations Committee seems to be concerned that Democrats are losing the debate over whether to fund the war on terror. To bolster the Democrats' argument, they've decided to 'set the record straight' with this one-page document. It says (in part):
Last week the House of Representatives passed a $50 billion supplemental to fund the war, but the President has threatened to veto it and his allies in the Senate are filibustering it.
This bill includes reasonable provisions to protect our troops.
• It requires that troops be fully trained and fully equipped.
• It requires all government employees to follow the Army Field Manual rules prohibiting torture.
• It requires the President have a plan for bringing our troops home by December of 2008.
The Department of Defense could have full access to these funds very quickly. All the President has to do is call his allies in the Senate and ask them to release the bill.
But the legislation doesn't require the president to 'have a plan for bringing our troops home.' It requires that he begin redeployment within 30 days, that he regularly update Congress on how the redeployment is proceeding, and that he implement a plan to bring stability to Iraq in conjunction with 'Iraq's neighbors and the international community.' It also dramatically limits the range of operations the U.S. may conduct in Iraq. Here's a portion of the relevant text:
...funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act are available immediately for obligation to plan and execute a safe and orderly redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq.
(b) Within 30 days after enactment of this Act, the President shall commence an immediate and orderly redeployment of United States Armed Forces from Iraq...
(d) The goal for the completion of the transition of United States Armed Forces to a limited presence and missions as described in subsection (e) shall be a date that is not later than December 15, 2008.
(f) Not later than February 1, 2008, and every 90 days thereafter, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a report setting forth the following:
(1) The current plan for and the status of the reduction of United States Armed Forces in Iraq and the transition of the Armed Forces in Iraq to a limited presence whose missions do not exceed the missions specified in subsection (e), including the associated force reductions and adjustments and expectations with respect to timelines and the force levels anticipated to perform those missions.
Congressional Democrats claim to be tremendously proud of their effort to end the war. Why are they suddenly trying to pretend that that's not what their controversial legislation does? And why are House leaders trying to convince people that they have not just passed a forced surrender bill?
