Murtha Proposes Bill To Choke Funding For Surge

Murtha proposes bill to choke funding for surge

Washington Times ( for complete article)
Rep. John P. Murtha, Pennsylvania Democrat, yesterday announced plans to introduce legislation that would cut off funding for President Bush’s proposed surge of American troops into Baghdad.

“I think our hearings will show that even Republicans will vote with us when the bill finally comes up,” Mr. Murtha, chairman of the Appropriations defense subcommittee, said during an appearance on ABC’s “This Week.”

Mr. Murtha said that he doesn’t think Democrats can stop Mr. Bush from instituting the first wave of a troop surge, but that his panel will be able to pass legislation to stop further waves within a month. “I don’t know how many troops they can get in the field before we get our bill up and passed in the Congress,” he said.

But Mr. Murtha told ABC, “We’re going to have extensive hearings, and we’re going to look at exactly how much money he has.”

“And we’re going to try to change the direction of this war,” he said.

White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters last week that Mr. Bush already has the funds needed to support a troop surge. “Funding for the forces and to dispatch them to the region, it’s already in the budget,” he said. “So we’re going to proceed with those plans.”

Several Democrats, including Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, have proposed a nonbinding “disapproval” of a surge.

Wild Thing’s comment…..
You know what I wish, I wish that our troops would not have to know about this stuff. I know that is not possible, but in my heart I would love if the only thing our troops heard about was total support and gratitude.
Murtha and choke in the same sentence. hmmmm just thinking here……