House Bill Would Restrict US Funding For Iraq Reconstruction

WASHINGTON — A House bill to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this year would press Baghdad to match every dollar the US spends on reconstruction projects worth more than $750,000, as well as training and equipping its security forces, according to Democratic aides.

The provision is part of the latest push by Democrats and many Republicans to try to get Iraq to spend more of its own money. With the country's oil production on the rise and record-high fuel prices, Iraq is looking toward a massive budget surplus this year while the US is grappling with a spending deficit.

The plan also would give anti-war lawmakers a vote on nonbinding language setting the goal of withdrawing most combat troops by December 2009. This provision is expected to fail in the Senate and be stripped from a final bill to be approved by the House this spring.

President Bush has requested $102 billion to pay for combat operations in the two wars through September.

The Pentagon says it needs the money by Memorial Day, or else it would have to drain funds from elsewhere within its budget to cover combat costs. In information provided to lawmakers Tuesday, the military said the Army will run out of money by late July if Congress does not act _ something Democrats say won't happen.

About $3 billion of Bush's request would be devoted to reconstruction and relief programs, half of which would go toward the training and equipping mission.

The administration has been open to lawmakers' suggestions that Iraq assume more rebuilding costs, contending Baghdad is already on track to do so with regard to major infrastructure projects. But, depending on how the legislation is written, White House officials may be reluctant to restrict US spending on rebuilding Iraq's military and police forces _ the linchpin in Bush's exit strategy in Iraq.

The Senate has drafted a similar bill that would prohibit spending US money on reconstruction projects worth more than $2 million. Instead of flatly barring aid to the Iraqi security forces, the Senate bill says the US "shall take actions to ensure that Iraqi funds are used" to cover those costs, including the salaries of the forces and any payments to Sunnis who are part of the Awakening Movement.

In private negotiations with a group of bipartisan senators, the administration pushed hard to include a waiver for the president to the restrictions, but the lawmakers refused. The Senate plans to vote on the reconstruction legislation, included as part of the 2008 defense authorization bill, later this month.

The White House did not provide immediate comment on the House bill. Details on the measure were expected to be disclosed to Democratic members in a closed-door meeting Tuesday, with a vote planned as early as Thursday.

The bill is expected to top more than $178 billion. In addition to the $102 billion needed through September, Democrats want to add $70 billion Bush requested to pay for the wars between October and early 2009 _ a tactic that lets them avoid a second war vote during the presidential elections.

Democrats are expected to include legislation _ costing $16 billion over two years _ to extend by up to six months unemployment insurance coverage for jobless people whose benefits have run out. Veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan would begin to receive a big boost in college aid.

As in the past, Democrats plan to include language banning permanent bases in Iraq and prohibiting torture of military detainees.

Barring any unexpected developments, the bill would bring the amount approved by Congress since Sept. 11, 2001, to fight terrorism and conduct the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to about $875 billion.

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Associated Press Writer Andrew Taylor contributed to this report.