WASHINGTON, May 25: The bill to continue funding the Iraq War till September with no timelines has been passed by both chambers of the US Congress. The House of Representatives voted 280-142 on Thursday evening to endorse the bill, which is seen in the United States as a victory for the Republican White House over the Democrat-controlled Congress.
A majority of Democrats and two Republicans opposed the war continuation bill in the House.
But compromising Democrats enabled the Republicans, who voted overwhelmingly for the bill, to win the much-needed relief for a war many in America see as unwinnable. As many as 80 senators voted for the bill while 14 voted against it.
The bill will soon go to President George Bush for approval who has already indicated that he will endorse it.
The legislation clears the way for the Bush administration to get the $100 billion it is seeking to fight the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but it does set forth a bunch of benchmarks for the Iraqi government.
The benchmarks require Baghdad to show progress in improving the security situation and promoting political and religious harmony by September when the US administration goes to Congress for more funds.
In the Senate, at least three Democratic presidential candidates refused to go along with their congressional leadership which chalked out the compromise formula with the White House earlier this week.
Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both voted against the war continuation bill after it passed. Senator Chris Dodd voted against it before it passed.
But another Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, voted for it.
Senator John McCain, the leading Republican presidential candidate and a Vietnam War veteran, voted for the bill.
Senator Sam Brownback, another Republican presidential candidate, abstained.
Three other Republican senators Tom Coburn, Richard Burr and Mike Enzi also opposed the war-spending bill.
