Rift on domestic spending delaying war funding bill

WASHINGTON —  House and Senate Democrats are at odds over how to approve additional funding for U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and will not be able resolve wide differences at least until next week.

Early this month, House Democratic leaders won approval for an unpopular $58.8 billion in war funding by allowing members to add about $23 billion in home-front spending to help counter the nation’s economic woes. That brought the total cost of the measure to about $82 billion.

However, the Senate late Thursday roundly rejected the domestic aid, fearing a voter backlash against federal spending and forcing House Democratic leaders to revisit the issue. The Senate pared down the measure to its original amount.

The Pentagon has warned that its accounts will begin drying up next month if Congress does not approve the war funds. But Rep. Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the House majority leader, said there was no danger that the Pentagon would run out of money.

“It is my intention to ensure that the money for the troops is, in fact, passed before we leave here,” Hoyer said, referring to the impending August recess.

The bill funds the U.S. troop buildup in Afghanistan, disaster relief in the states, Haitian earthquake aid and other provisions.

Led by Rep. David R. Obey (D-Wis.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, the House added $23 billion, including $10 billion to prevent 140,000 teacher layoffs nationwide, $1 billion for summer youth jobs and $1.1 billion to fund a discrimination settlement between black farmers and the Department of Agriculture.

But the Senate rejected the package by a 51-46 vote, with 11 Democrats and Independent Joe Lieberman of Connecticut joining Republicans in a display of concern over spending, a move that will force the House to decide whether to relent on the domestic aid.

President Obama had threatened to veto the domestic spending, splitting his party and chilling White House-congressional relations.

Some House Democrats were stunned by the Senate vote, aware that it may have doomed further attempts to attach domestic aid.

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lmascaro@tribune.com