With the cost of the Iraq War running in the $500 billion range since its inception, President George W. Bush has borne the brunt of the criticism for spending so much money on such an unpopular war. Despite the criticism, the Democrat-led U.S. Congress is striking a somewhat counter-intuitive pose. Congress, who favors a speedy withdrawal of troops, is actually asking for more money from Bush's latest war funding bill—the bill would already spend $178 billion.
Congress's plan would support troops and also include domestic spending, including investments in healthcare, education, and energy.
President Bush, however, has said that he would veto any bill that goes over the $178 billion mark needed for the necessities of war.
"If Congress does not act, critical accounts at the Department of Defense will soon run dry," said Bush in his weekly radio address on Saturday. Bush first proposed the bill 16 months ago.
"At the beginning of next month, civilian employees may face temporary layoffs. The department will have to close down a vital program that is getting potential insurgents off the streets and into jobs… And after July, the department will no longer be able to pay our troops—including those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq," said Bush.
Congress has passed a budget plan that they said would be more responsible, balancing the budget while preserving social services.
"Under the policies of the Bush Administration our national debt has exploded, growing by 80 percent from $5.7 trillion in 2001 to $10 trillion in 2009," said Congressman John Spratt of South Carolina, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, in a recent Democratic radio address.
"Our budget begins by undoing the damage done by the President's budget to services that people depend upon," said Spratt. "Take Medicare and Medicaid, for example. The President wants to cut Medicare by $479 billion over 10 years and Medicaid by $94 billion. We reject those cuts and broaden the Children's Health Insurance Program to reach millions of children who are eligible but are not yet enrolled."
Congress's budget plan assumes no additional spending for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan after next year and allows many of the president's tax cuts to expire.
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