May 10, 2007
Dems Offer Immediate Iraq Withdrawal Vote
House Democratic leaders plan to bring up legislation today that would begin redeployment of U.S. forces and contractors from Iraq not later than 90 days after enactment and to be completed within 180 days.
The bill was introduced Wednesday night by Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., a prominent member of the Out of Iraq Caucus, after discussions with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The House will vote on the measure before it moves to consider the new Iraq war supplemental introduced Tuesday by Appropriations Chairman David Obey, D-Wis.
The vote on the McGovern bill is a concession to anti-war members of the caucus who were concerned that the Obey bill would not permit until July an up-or-down vote on removing troops from combat zones.
McGovern's spokesman said several changes were made at Pelosi's behest, such as changing the reference to "withdrawal" in the bill to "redeployment," and moving the date when redeployment must begin back to 90 days; McGovern had originally sought withdrawal within 30 days.
Also, McGovern modified the bill so U.S. forces could remain in Iraq in limited roles such as targeted anti-terror operations, to protect U.S. facilities, and assisting Iraqi security forces. Obey's bill would provide unfettered funding for the war through July, then require an up-or-down vote on whether to continue funding military operations or begin a phased redeployment of troops out of combat areas. That was not soon enough for a number of anti-war members.
"This brings most of us on board," an aide to a progressive Democrat said of leaders' decision to bring up the McGovern bill.
One source with knowledge of the discussions said that in this morning's whip meeting, Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel of Illinois tried to kill the plan, but Pelosi overruled him. After consideration of McGovern's bill, the Obey bill will come to the floor. If the McGovern bill were to pass -- and it faces long odds -- it would be combined with Obey's bill.
The House will also vote on a package of agriculture disaster assistance and other domestic items. That bill will be combined with Obey's Iraq bill after passage and sent to the Senate.
-Peter Cohn, CongressDaily
