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Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Steve Dietrich who wrote (103354)	7/18/2007 12:34:16 PM
From: Kenneth E. Phillipps	Respond to of 173976

Reid Sets Aside Defense Authorization After Withdrawal Failure By Nathan Burchfiel CNSNews.com Staff Writer July 18, 2007 (CNSNews.com) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Wednesday announced he would set aside the Defense Department authorization bill that has served as a catalyst for an historic confrontation between Republicans and Democrats over a troop withdrawal from Iraq. An amendment attached to the bill would have mandated a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days of the bill's passage, setting an April 30, 2008, deadline for troop levels to be brought to a "limited presence." Republicans blocked the amendment Wednesday morning by requiring a 60-vote majority to end debate. The amendment's failure came after a Democrat-organized all-night Senate session during which senators debated the Iraq war and the amendment specifically. Reid organized the overnight session in an attempt to "dramatize" the fight. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) later called the effort a "waste of time" and an "indignity." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) noted: "Last night's theatrics accomplished nothing." The amendment failed with 52 votes in favor of ending debate and 47 against. Reid at first voted in favor of cloture, but at the last minute changed his vote to side with Republicans against cloture. McConnell later threatened to apply the same 60-vote majority to other Democratic amendments that would also have required a "course change" in Iraq. While he acknowledged that Senate rules allow the minority party to require a 60-vote majority on controversial issues, Reid criticized Republicans' use of the procedural maneuver. "All these amendments would pass with simple majority, all of them, every one of them telling the president he should change course," Reid said. "I'm disappointed to see that my friend [McConnell] is leading the Republicans to obstruction over progress." He said that even though consideration of the Defense authorization bill will be put on hold until "we can make real progress," Democrats are still committed to mandating course change in Iraq. "We will do everything in our power to change course in Iraq," Reid pledged. "We will get there. You cannot fight against the future."