Facing their first tight vote of the 110th Congress, House Democratic leaders yesterday were scrambling to convince rank-and-file members to back their carefully crafted war-funding legislation.
At least eight Democrats are planning to vote “no” on the Iraq supplemental, scheduled for a Thursday vote. Two more are “leaning no.” Meanwhile, there are over three dozen Democrats who are undecided, according to a survey conducted by The Hill.
{mosads}The leadership can lose only 15 votes if Republicans stick together, giving leaders little room as they seek to balance the demands of liberals who want a fast withdrawal with those of conservative Democrats, who are wary of setting any kind of timetable for commanders in the field to follow.
Leadership aides say they are working hard to gain those votes.
“It’s crunch time,” said Kristie Greco, spokeswoman for House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.). “The vote last week in the Appropriations Committee was a strong indication of the momentum of this legislation, and we’re building on that.”
While 17 House Republicans voted against President Bush’s troop surge, fewer than 10 are expected to vote for the pending appropriations measure. Republicans who are possible defectors include Reps. Wayne Gilchrest (Md.) and Walter Jones (N.C.).
Democratic leaders got a huge boost yesterday when MoveOn.org decided to support the bill after seeking input from their leaders in a blast e-mail.
Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), who is a Ways and Means subcommittee chairman, said during a speech in his district over the weekend that he plans to vote no along with a group of 20 other Democrats, according to The Argus newspaper of Fremont, Calif.
“The best way to keep [the troops] safe is to bring them home,” Stark said. “It’s difficult to oppose [House Speaker] Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). She’s a great leader and working wonders to get this passed, but some things I can’t vote for.”
He added that if the resolution fails, “It won’t look good, like the Democrats can’t get their act together, but that’s OK. We can write a better bill.”
Other lawmakers from Pelosi’s state of California are planning to buck leadership on the funding measure, including Reps. Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey, and perhaps Maxine Waters.
There’s been no decision on what amendments, if any, will be allowed on the floor. Last week, Republicans argued in favor of allowing amendments, noting that appropriations bills are usually open to amendments and that the bill wouldn’t just pay for government operations but makes a substantial policy statement.
The Rules Committee is expected to meet tomorrow, but no decision has been made on whether amendments will be allowed.
“That’s still to be determined,” said committee spokesman John Santore. “People are waiting to see what amendments will be offered.”
Both parties used yesterday’s fourth anniversary of the 2003 Iraq invasion to make their policy points.
Making a statement in the Roosevelt Room, President Bush criticized the Democrats’ plan.
“They have a responsibility to pass a clean bill that does not use funding for our troops as leverage to get special interest spending for their districts,” Bush said. “And they have a responsibility to get this bill to my desk without strings and without delay.”
White House spokesman Tony Snow later added: “What he’s saying is that if they attach strings, he will veto it.”
Democrats stressed their point that the president and his war plans have lost the confidence of the country.
“The American people have lost confidence in President Bush’s plan for a war without end in Iraq. That failed approach has been rejected by the voters in our nation, and it will be rejected by the Congress,” Pelosi said.
Heidi Bruggink and Stacey Pistritto contributed to this report.
Progressives and Blue Dogs weigh in on war-funding bill
Yes or leaning yes
Neil Abercrombie (Hawaii)
Michael Arcuri (N.Y.)
Melissa Bean (Ill.)
Nancy Boyda (Kan.)
Dennis Cardoza (Calif.)
Peter DeFazio (Ore.)
Chet Edwards (Texas)
Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.)
Phil Hare (Ill.)
Tim Mahoney (Fla.) (leaning yes)
Mazie Hirono (Hawaii) (leaning yes)
Steve Kagen (Wis.)
Tom Lantos (Calif.)
John Larson (Conn.)
Carolyn Maloney (N.Y.)
George Miller (Calif.)
Chris Murphy (Conn.)
Patrick Murphy (Pa.)
Donald Payne (N.J.)
John Salazar (Colo.)
Jan Schakowsky (Ill.)
David Scott (Ga.)
Joe Sestak (Pa.)
Carol Shea-Porter (N.H.)
Tim Walz (Minn.)
Charlie Wilson (Ohio)
No or leaning no
Dan Boren (Okla.) (leaning no)
Danny Davis (Ill.) (leaning no)
Keith Ellison (Minn.) (leaning no)
Dennis Kucinich (Ohio)
Sheila Jackson Lee (Texas)
Barbara Lee (Calif.)*
John Lewis (Ga.)
Jim Marshall (Ga.)
Pete Stark (Calif.)
Edolphus Towns (N.Y.)
Lynn Woolsey (Calif.)*
Undecided/no comment
Tammy Baldwin (Wis.)
John Barrow (Ga.)
Sanford Bishop Jr. (Ga.)
Leonard Boswell (Iowa)
Chris Carney (Pa.)
Jim Cooper (Tenn.)
Lacy Clay (Mo.)
Steve Cohen (Tenn.)*
Elijah Cummings (Md.)
Joe Donnelly (Ind.)
Brad Ellsworth (Ind.)
Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.)*
John Hall (N.Y.)
Stephanie Herseth (S.D.)
Baron Hill (Ind.)
Rush Holt (N.J.)
Hank Johnson (Ga.)
Ron Kind (Wis.)
Nick Lampson (Texas)
Jim Matheson (Utah)
Doris Matsui (Calif.)
James McGovern (Mass.)
Jerry McNerney (Calif.)
Gwen Moore (Wis.)
Jim Oberstar (Minn.)
Collin Peterson (Minn.)
Bobby Rush (Ill.)
Mike Ross (Ark.)
Linda Sanchez (Calif.)
Heath Shuler (N.C.)
Hilda Solis (Calif.)
Zack Space (Ohio)
Gene Taylor (Miss.)
Maxine Waters (Calif.)*
Peter Welch (Vt.)
* Scheduled to attend anti-war rally tomorrow on Capitol Hill
Culled from media accounts and interviews with lawmakers and aides