Lawmakers spend our childrens’ tax-dollars.
U.S. lawmakers agreed to an $82 billion spending measure for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan after striking compromises on new immigration restrictions, border security and a U.S. embassy in Iraq.
The agreement yesterday sends the measure to the House and Senate for final votes before it goes to President George W. Bush for his signature.
The funding pushes military costs for the two wars to more than $100 billion for fiscal year 2005, which ends Sept. 30. The spending bill is the fourth request outside the regular budget process for money to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It will bring emergency spending approved since 2003 for the wars to more than $270 billion.
Included in the bill is $75.9 billion for defense, $1 billion more than Bush sought. The rest of the money goes to State Department programs, counter-terrorism efforts and foreign aid, including about $907 million for victims of the December tsunami in Asia. The House is likely to vote on the compromise bill tomorrow. The Senate will take up the issue when it returns next week from a recess.
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