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Call Both Your Senators TODAY and Say Vote No on War Money!

Submitted by davidswanson on Thu, 2008-05-22 14:22.

The number is 202-224-3121. Details on what's happening are below.

From Sue Udry:

Here is a report from John Isaacs at Council for a Livable World about the Supplemental fiasco in the Senate -- it doesn't look very good at all:

Senators appear to have come to an agreement for votes today on the Supplemental Appropriations Bill that will result in a bill with Iraq and Afghanistan war funds, the Webb GI bill, but with little no other Iraq-related policy language or domestic policy provisions.

As I understand it, there will first will be a vote around 11:30AM on a Reid
amendment #4803 (Domestic funding, the "slimmed down" version) which
includes a package of veterans' benefits, unemployment insurance extension
and a bar of the Administration implementing Medicaid rule changes. Many of
the provisions adopted in the Appropriations Committee related to worker
visas and other topics have been dropped.

If and when ? and more likely when ? the first vote fails to achieve the 60
vote threshold, there will be a second vote on a Reid (D-NV) amendment
containing only the Webb (D-VA) GI bill. 60 votes again will be needed to
pass this provision; the Webb bill already has 57 co-sponsors.

Senator Sanders (D-VT) will then be recognized to make a Rule 16 point of
order against section 11312 of the Reid motion, related to a Mikulski (D-MD)
provision to permit temporary workers who have already entered the country
to continue working (read crabbing industry).

The next vote will be on a Reid amendment that includes $165.4 billion in
war funding plus a host of Iraq war provisions, including a bar on torture,
a timetable for getting out of Iraq and a requirement that any long-term
agreement with Iraq receive Senate approval before going into effect.

If and when that provision fails to get 60 votes ? again, more likely when
-- Reid will then offer the $165.4 billion in war funding only, with the 60
vote threshold likely to be achieved.

Thus the final bill could be money only plus the G.I. bill ? a dismal result
that Council for a Livable World opposes.
The stripped-down bill would then be sent back to the House of
Representatives for a vote, probably in June after the Memorial Day recess.

NOTE: They will skip one step that we expected -- there will NOT be a
conference committee. AND, if the House passes the stripped down Senate
version, it won't have to go back to the Senate again -- just straight on to
the President.

*The House becomes our main target again -- just in time for the Memorial
Day break. *

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Backbone

Submitted by Marilyn Gjerdrum on Fri, 2008-05-23 01:28.

This gutless congress won't do it's constitutional duty and hold impeachment hearing for the worst administration in US history. Why think their voting will be any different? They put a few carrots into the bill to appease voters without addressing the real issue; get us out of this illegal and criminal war.

I think Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and many others need replacing. The congress is corrupt, we need new players in DC.

Marilyn Gjerdrum

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