House votes third time to withdraw from Iraq

WASHINGTON -- The House last week demanded for the third time this year the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq as the Senate also weighed changes in war policy.

The House vote called by Democrats was 223-201, largely along party lines, with the narrow margin indicating the bill would be unable to overcome a probable presidential veto.

Only four Republicans voted for the bill.

President Bush admonished Congress for trying to direct the war and said he was unwilling to consider a policy shift until September. Gen. David Petreaus is expected to report on the success of the U.S. troop "surge" strategy that month.

The bill would require the Pentagon to begin removing troops from Iraq in 120 days. The withdrawal would be complete, except for a "limited presence" of U.S. forces, by April 1.

Troops that remained in Iraq would be focused on terrorists and training Iraqi forces.

Similar measures in March and April either died in the Senate or were vetoed by the president.

Bush said Congress needs to allow more time for his strategy to work in a war that has claimed more than 3,600 U.S. troops and cost more than $500 billion.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Americans have waited out the unpopular war long enough and that it was Congress' responsibility to force a new direction.

Reps. Jon Porter and Dean Heller, both R-Nev., voted against a withdrawal deadline.

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., did not vote.

DEPLOYMENT BREAKS BLOCKED

Meanwhile, an amendment that would require troops in Iraq and Afghanistan to be rested for minimum periods between deployments was blocked in the Senate.

The measure by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., fell four votes short of the 60 that were needed to advance. The vote was 56-41.

It would have prohibited U.S. forces from being sent back to the Middle East until after a period equal to twice the amount of time of their original deployment.

Seven Republicans supported the amendment, which Bush had indicated he would veto.

Supporters said the current deployment schedule causes undue strain on military families and burnout among American troops. Opponents said the Senate was wrong to try to "micromanage" the troops.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., voted to move forward with the bill. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., opposed it.

Another amendment to set intervals between deployments, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham, D-S.C., also failed.

The Senate voted 41-55 against the measure that would have set 12-month minimums for active-duty troops and 5-year restrictions for Reserve forces.

Ensign voted for the amendment. Reid voted against it.

The Senate also turned back efforts to set limits on the amount of time troops are deployed to Iraq.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., proposed Army forces not be deployed for more than 12 consecutive months, while Marine deployments be limited to seven months.

The measure needed 60 votes to pass. The vote was 52-45.

Reid voted for it. Ensign voted against it.

HOUSE BOOSTS COLLEGE AID

The House voted 273-149 to redirect $19 billion in lender subsidies toward more financial aid for college students.

The funding would increase the maximum Pell Grant award to $5,200, up from $4,050 last year. It would cut in half the interest rates on student loans and reverse changes made last year to the federal financial aid program.

The bill contains loan forgiveness programs for some college students who become public employees, offers grants to future public school teachers and creates income-based loan repayment plans.

Supporters hailed the legislation as the largest increase in student aid since the passage of the GI Bill in 1944.

Critics said it created nine new entitlement programs and were opposed to two-thirds of the money being set aside for institutions or people already out of college.

Heller voted for it. Berkley and Porter did not vote.

SECTION 8 REVAMP PASSES

The House passed legislation 333-83 to change the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 8 voucher program.

Supporters said the overhaul would expand affordable housing by directing the department to use rent information in smaller geographic areas to calculate voucher amounts.

It also forces HUD to distribute housing vouchers based on data from the previous 12 months instead of older information.

Opponents said the bill would cost more government money and raise housing costs in the long-term.

Heller and Porter voted for the revamp. Berkley did not vote.