AP: Senate Approves $63 Billion More for War in Iraq

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/08/washington/08defense.html

September 8, 2006
Senate Approves $63 Billion More for War in Iraq
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7 (AP) — The Senate agreed on Thursday to spend an additional $63 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as it passed a bill to finance military spending.

The measure was approved, 98 to 0, after senators added money to help track down Osama bin Laden and to fight the opium trade in Afghanistan, which is helping the Taliban’s resurgence. The overwhelming support came despite Democrats’ increasing criticism of the Bush administration’s handling of the war in Iraq.

The bill now totals $469.7 billion. It grew more than $16 billion during a debate that began in July and was suspended for the lawmakers’ four-week August recess.

Lawmakers expect $7 billion to be added during House-Senate talks on a compromise bill. The House passed its version of the Pentagon budget bill in June.

With the latest infusion of money, Congress will have approved about $500 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other antiterrorism efforts in the five years since the Sept. 11 attacks, according to the Congressional Research Service. The Pentagon spending bill, a domestic security measure and, perhaps, legislation with money for veterans’ programs will probably be the only appropriations bills to pass Congress by the Oct. 1 start of the new budget year.

The rest of the spending bills for government agencies will wait until a session after the Nov. 7 elections.

The military bill contains $99 billion for personnel, $126 billion for operations and maintenance, $81 billion for weapons procurement and $73 billion for research and development.