In this developing story, the war funding bill for Iraq has been approved and finalized by the United States Senate. With this approval, United States President George W. Bush will be able to continue both battles in Iraq and Afghanistan. This bill will last into early 2009. There will be no restrictions on the spending of the $165 billion granted with this bill.
However, there are attachments to the bill. Money will be provided with the expansion of the GI Bill and the extension of unemployment benefits. The expansion to the GI Bill is called the “Post-9/11 Veterans Assistance Act” which was drawn up and co-sponsored by Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia. This bill had bipartisan support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Under this bill, educational benefits will be extended to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq. Presumed GOP nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona had voiced his opposition to this expansion. Instead, McCain had favored an alternative that focused on career soldiers. But, that may have hurt McCain’s candidacy. So far, it has provided ammunition for presumed Democratic nominee Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.
Since Memorial Day weekend, the GI Bill has been one of the topics discussed by both Obama and McCain.
So far, the extension to the GI Bill along with unemployment benefits has been two of the main things that the Democrats want. In addition, there will be $2 billion provided to help areas in the Midwest that was devastated with the flooding.
Last week, this bill was passed by the United States House of Representatives. So far, everybody had come out satisfied. Congress was satisfied, the administration of George W. Bush was satisfied, Democrats were satisfied, the GOP was satisfied and at the end many were satisfied.
According to Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, explains that it met demands from both ends. The president’s request for funding for military construction, international aid, and everything else will be doubled. At the same time, there will be many that will be given protection from the cuts by Medicaid. In a nutshell, everybody comes out “happy.”
So far, the US Senate has approved this new war funding bill along with these attachments.
Next step is for Bush to sign the bill.