Senators Assail Request for Aid for Afghan and Iraq Budgets

[nodehopper]

ASHINGTON, May 13 — Senate Democrats and Republicans attacked Bush administration officials on Thursday for submitting a vaguely worded request to add $25 billion to pay for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan beginning on Oct. 1.
The new money would be added to the more than $400 billion already sought for military uses worldwide in fiscal 2005. Lawmakers complained that the new request lacked specific details and sought to circumvent the Senate's oversight role.
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"This is a blank check," Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, said.

Senator Robert C. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, spoke for virtually all senators when he predicted that the Senate would approve the extra money to pay for fuel, body armor, troop transportation and supplies, but not without some strings attached.


more here:
http://nytimes.com/2004/05/14/politics/14MILI.html?hp