House Rejects $162.5B Bill to Fund Wars

Unusual move allows vote against war, for domestic spending

(NEWSER) - House Democratic leaders are splitting the new Iraq funding bill into two distinct amendments, the Politco reports. One will be the $103 billion Bush requested for the war in Iraq, which will speak of benchmarks but won't demand a withdrawal date, the other a $17 billion domestic spending package. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama will ask Congress for $83.4 billion in supplemental funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the AP reports. Obama had in the past opposed such requests outside of the federal budget, but the administration says it's necessary one final time to fund the military through the end of the year. “This will be the last supplemental for Iraq and Afghanistan,” said press chief Robert Gibbs. More»

(NEWSER) - President Obama has had to change his tune a few times since he took office, but the content of his speech to Congress tonight will be no surprise, Michael Scherer writes in Time. Talking points have been consistent for long enough to predict 5 key features:

• I'm not Bush: In case Congress didn't notice, Obama will emphasize particularly his break from the former president's "deception" as regards the budget—and the helicopters.

Spending bill also extends jobless benefits

(AP) - A much-delayed Iraq war funding bill sailed through the House tonight, along with a doubling of college aid for returning troops and help for the unemployed and Midwestern flood victims. Republican allies of President Bush provided the winning margin in a 268-155 vote to provide $162 billion to fund US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan well into next year. More»

Bipartisan agreement allocates $163B for Iraq, Afghanistan through early 2009

(NEWSER) - A two-year fight between the White House and Democrats over war funding has been resolved, the New York Times reports. House leaders reached a deal to allocate $163 billion for combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan through early next year. The measure, expected to be approved by the full House as early as tomorrow, also includes new education benefits for veterans and an extension of aid for the unemployed. More»