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Bush to Veto Defense Bill
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ShareDecember 28, 2007 12:33 PM
ABC's Jon Garcia reports: President George Bush today said he intends to veto the $696 billion defense authorization that would include a pay raise for military personnel and fund the overhaul of veterans' health care program.
Why the veto? Because the bill includes a provision that would "imperil Iraqi assets held in the United States," the White House statement released Friday said.
A provision in the bill would permit lawyers to freeze Iraqi funds in the US and would expose Iraq to "massive liability in lawsuits concerning the misdeeds of the Saddam Hussein regime," the White House argues.
"The new democratic government of Iraq, during this crucial period of reconstruction, cannot afford to have its funds entangled in such lawsuits in the United States," according to Deputy Press Secretary Scott Stanzel. ''(It is) too important an issue to allow this to go forward because it would tie up millions of dollars in Iraqi funds for months."
This would mark the 8th veto that President Bush has issued while in office - all of them in his second term.
Last week, he vetoed the legislation known as the "S-Chip," which funds the State's Children's Health Insurance Program, for the second time. Only one of his vetoes - for a bill to fund water resource development - has been overriden by Congress.
Stanzel also said that the President is willing to work with Congress to come up with a new defense authorization bill he would be willing to sign.
The 3.5% pay raise for military personnel would not be completely obliterated by the veto. A 3% raise will go into effect on January 1, 2008 whether or not the current bill is vetoed. Stanzel said the administration hopes a compromise in the new bill would make the extra .5% retroactive.
Democratic leaders quickly blasted the expected veto.
"We understand the President is bowing to the demands of the Iraqi government, which is threatening to withdraw billions of dollars invested in U.S. banks if this bill is signed," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Harry Reid wrote in a statement. "The Administration should have raised its objections earlier, when this issue could have been addressed without a veto. The American people will have every right to be disappointed if the President vetoes this legislation."
December 28, 2007 in Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (23)
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What this story fails to mention is that, previously and up until the bill was PASSED, Bush indicated he'd sign it. Apparently, Bush is willing to put the needs of the Iraqi government (and it's still a shambles and non-functional) ahead of the welfare of the troops. Bush attacked Kerry in 04 about 'First you support the troops, then you don't support the troops' (A reference to Kerry's turn-about in his stance on the Vietnam war.). It appears bush first supports the troops, but when politics get in his way, he's willing to hang them all - not just the ones in Iraq and Afghanistan - out to dry. Call him the Commander In Cheap.
Posted by: Fatesrider | Dec 29, 2007 9:12:18 PM
Bush is a down right Biggest crook this country has ever seen. H cares more about the Iraq people then he does his own, tell ya what why don't send the him \over there and elect a new President. To veto this bill for the veterans and the Service men makes no sense to me the greedy Republicans to include all of congress should be impeached and we will statr all over frm scratch
Posted by: Frank Wright | Dec 31, 2007 11:28:10 AM
What about the individuals that were kidnapped from Kuwait in 1991, held as human shields in Iraq. President Bush first enacted an executive decision stopping us the little guy from receiving money (not Punitive damages) just lost income and money for being tortured by the Iraqi government. Now he says Americans who sued and won judgment in a US federal court after waiting many years cannot receive money that is setting in an American bank belonging to Iraq because it would make them mad. I agree the state department would not like it, and President Bush does not like it, but 97 senators said that we could try and collect what is due to us. So now what do we get to do wait another 10 years for Iraq to decide to pay for what they did to us. Iraq has never owned up to what it did to Americans and Kuwaiti like. I did what the US law says to do regarding a terrorist state I filed suit in Federal court Washington DC it was legal I won now all I want is justice.
Posted by: Jerry | Jan 2, 2008 12:06:10 PM
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