North Carolina By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated
Press Writer
May 16, 2007
WASHINGTON - The House rejected two measures Wednesday that
would have required President Bush to seek congressional approval
before attacking Iran.
The proposals were offered as amendments to a $646 billion
defense policy bill for the 2008 budget year, which starts
Oct. 1.
The first proposal, by Rep. Robert Andrews (news, bio, voting
record), D-N.J., would have prohibited money in the bill from
being used to strike Iran without Congress' blessing; it fell
by a 216-202 vote. A similar, but more sweeping measure offered
by Rep. Peter DeFazio (news, bio, voting record), D-Ore., was
rejected by a 288-136 vote.
The votes were primarily symbolic; Bush has not said he is
planning to invade Iran. But because of missteps made in assessing
pre-war intelligence on Iraq, many Democrats said the legislation
was necessary.
"If it were any president I don't think we'd have to
worry about this," said Rep. Patrick Kennedy (news, bio,
voting record), D-R.I.
A similar proposal on Iran initially was included in this
year's war spending bill drafted by the House. But Speaker
Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., agreed to
remove the requirement after several Democrats said they were
worried about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Those concerns were expressed again Wednesday by both Republicans
and some Democrats who said the proposals would unnecessarily
tie the president's hands and leave Israel and the United States
vulnerable.
"No one wants another war," said Rep. Shelly Berkley,
D-Nev. "But if we don't take a tough stance on Iran and
maintain the threat of military action, Iran will get the message
that we don't care if it gets nuclear weapons."
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