The House move came largely along party lines with a 221-205 vote which would allow USD 43 million in emergency war funding, but force Bush to show progress in Iraq by July before lawmakers vote again on freeing up a second USD 53 billion chunk of funds.
"This legislation ends the blank check for the president's war without end," Democratic House speaker Nancy Pelosi said moments before the vote, the latest round of a bitter and escalating constitutional feud for control of the war.
"I'll veto the bill if it is this haphazard, piecemeal funding, and I made that clear," Bush said after a meeting with officials at the Defense Department.
The White House may be hanging tough on the Iraq war supplemental but indications are that moderate Republicans are getting a bit tired with the ongoing operations in Iraq and are calling for a "Plan B" that may be needed in the absence of a clear success by September.
"We want a very candid report in September," Republican Ray LaHood said. "We don't want politics mixed into it. And the way forward after September, if the report is not good, is going to be very, very difficult."
LaHood was one of the lawmakers who were in the White House for a meeting with the President on Iraq. - DDNews India
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