U.S. Senate Democrats yesterday offered several amendments to President George W. Bush’s request to fund the war in Iraq that sought to increase homeland security funding in a number of areas, according to the Washington Post (see GSN, March 26).  House and Senate appropriators approved about $78 billion in each of their respective supplemental funding bills Tuesday, and legislators began considering additional amendments in the full houses yesterday.

The Senate amendments included adding $4.3 billion for first responders, $2.9 billion for border and transportation security, $400 million to improve the security of nuclear materials and $340 million to help state and local governments handle the cost of smallpox vaccinations, the Post reported.  The increased funding would almost double the $4 billion Bush included for homeland security in his request. 

The Senate voted 52-47 to reject a proposal by Senator Ernest Hollings (D-S.C.) to add $1 billion to Bush’s request to improve port security.  An amendment proposed by Senator Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) to require increased security at chemical plants was defeated on procedural grounds (see GSN, April 2).

The Senate is working to pass the funding request by late today as a sign of support for U.S. troops fighting in Iraq, according to the Post.  The House of Representatives also plans to pass its version of the request today.  Bush and congressional leaders have said they want the request sent to the White House before Congress goes into a two-week recess at the end of next week (Helen Dewar, Washington Post, April 3).

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP

Back to top