Dave Obey Slows War Funding

[babylonsister]

Dave Obey Slows War Funding

by David Rogers


WASHINGTON - House Appropriations Chairman Dave Obey said he will hold off on new Afghanistan war funding until there is some resolution of a long-delayed economic relief bill extending aid to states and the jobless as well as tax breaks for individuals and business.

With a July 4th Pentagon deadline looming, the chairman's new posture is a blow to the White House and more than ever, explicitly links war funding with liberal concerns over domestic priorities.

The so-called "extenders" bill-now bogged down in the Senate-carries with it $24 billion that Democrats want to help cash-strapped states meet their Medicaid payments next year. At the same time, Obey has been struggling to add up to $10 billion to the war funding bill to help local school districts avert the threat of teacher layoffs this coming fall.

"I want to wait until the extenders bill is resolved," Obey told POLITICO of the war funding measure "All I can do is sit and wait until reality strikes home, and then maybe we'll get somewhere."

The chairman's stance-outlined in a short interview Monday evening- is significant for two reasons.

First, Obey is directly linking progress on the war bill with the pace of decisions on domestic priorities. Second, the resulting delay threatens to aggravate an already difficult political situation for President Barack Obama, who faces growing skepticism over his Afghan policy.

more...

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2010/06/15-9

[Parche]

1. hats off to Obey

for finally standing up to these 2 illegal invasions that are completely wasting our tax dollars

[Cant trust em]

2. Good work, Dave. I wish you weren't retiring. nt

[truebrit71]

3. Agreed.

100%

[tekisui]

4. I share that sentiment. He will be missed.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Kudos to Obey

[Yuugal]

6. well done!