October 03, 2007
House OKs Bill Seeking Iraq Pullout Plan
The House voted 377-46 yesterday to pass legislation calling on President Bush to develop a plan for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq and to keep Congress apprised on the status of the planning.
While dismissed by Republicans as largely inconsequential because of its "sense of Congress" language, the bill received significant GOP support, including House Minority Leader John Boehner's vote.
Majority Leader Steny Hoyer played up the bill's bipartisan appeal when asked before the vote about the non-binding nature of the measure. "I think we will have a very significant vote when a majority of the House says we need a play for redeployment," Hoyer said.
But a top aide to one prominent anti-war Democrat said that many within the "Out of Iraq" caucus opposed the bill, largely because of concerns that it gave cover to Republicans who have opposed tougher measures to change U.S. strategy in Iraq.
One of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, celebrated the lopsided vote, which he portrayed as breaking "a legislative stalemate that has blocked repeated attempts to advance bills" setting dates to begin troop withdrawals. "The only cover we're interested in is the cover needed by our fighting men and women in the field," he said.
-CongressDaily
