Congress Passes $162B Measure to Fund Wars

Senate sends legislation to Bush, who is expected to sign
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 26, 2008 10:24 PM CDT
Congress Passes $162B Measure to Fund Wars
U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, observe an artillery strike on a Taliban position near the town of Garmser, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, Saturday, May 3, 2008.    (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)

The Senate tonight passed a $162 billion war spending plan, sending to President Bush legislation that will pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan until the next president takes office. The package, approved 92-6, includes a doubling of GI Bill college benefits. It also provides a 13-week extension of unemployment benefits and $2.7 billion in flood relief for the Midwest. Bush is expected to sign the bill next week.

The spending bill will bring to more than $650 billion the amount Congress has provided for the Iraq war since it started more than five years ago. For operations in Afghanistan, the total is nearly $200 billion. The Housed passed its war funding measure last week.  (More Senate stories.)

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