DEMOS, REPUBS SPLIT ON WAR FUNDING

            On July 29, the House approved and sent to President Obama an overdue measure to pay for combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, but Democrats splintered badly on the troop money in the aftermath of disclosures of classified information showing the war has not been going as well as portrayed.

            With strong Republican support, the $59 billion measure passed by a vote of 308 to 114, with 148 Democrats and 160 Republicans backing it.

             But 102 Democrats joined 12 Republicans in opposing the measure, illustrating a growing rift in the party over the course of the war in Afghanistan and the diversion of resources that could be spent on critical domestic needs. North Coast Democrat congressman Mike Thompson voted no, the first time he has actually opposed further funding for the war in his 17 years on Capital Hill.

            He faces re-election this November in a largely anti-war and solidly Democrat district where he usually garners more than 60% of the vote.

            . Among other Democrats voting against the bill was representative David R. Obey, the Wisconsin Democrat and chairman of the Appropriations Committee, the committee responsible for the measure.

            San Francisco representative and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declined to vote.

            An earlier decision by the Senate to reject an extra $22 billion in domestic spending figured into the strong Democratic vote against the money. But war opponents said the revelation of classified documents showing difficulties in Afghanistan and accusing some Pakistanis of encouraging the Afghan insurgency also played a role.

            Last year, 32 Democrats opposed a similar mid-year war spending bill offered during the president’s first term

            The Senate passed a $58.8 billion war-spending bill on May 27  as the military was about to deploy an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. The measure passed by a 67 - 28 vote in the Senate with bipartisan support.

NORTH COAST CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMPSON voted no for the first time in 17 years.  

    Both California  Democratic senators Boxer and Feinstein supported it.

            Two key amendments were struck down during the debate. Sen. Russ Feingold's amendment requiring a timetable to withdraw from Afghanistan was denied by members, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. 

            Feingold voted no on the war bill, saying he was concerned about appropriating more funds to the military without a troop withdrawal plan in place. "Now, however, this supplemental will add some $30 billion more to the nearly $300 billion we've already spent in Afghanistan, with no end in sight," he said. Since the September 11 attacks, Congress has approved $227 billion to support war efforts in Afghanistan, according to a Congressional Research Service report released in September.

            Sen. John McCain's request to send 6,000 National Guard troops to secure the U.S. Mexico border was also denied. Earlier that week, President Obama called for 1,200 troops to be sent to the border.

            But during the war-funding debate yesterday, Republican Sen. John Cornyn, whose separate amendment to strengthen border security was also struck down, said that number was too low.

            Both McCain and Cornyn voted against the bill. The Republican leader, Mitch McConnell, voted in favor of the spending bill.