WASHINGTON (Reuters):
THE U.S. House of Represen-tatives yesterday approved $94.5 billion in additional funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and to continue rebuilding southern states hit by hurricanes last year.
The House voted 351-67 for the bill on the same day President George W. Bush made a surprise visit to Iraq to meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and U.S. troops.
The Senate is expected to vote on the measure today and then send it to Bush to sign into law.
The legislation provides $65.8 billion that the Pentagon says it urgently needs to buy more combat materials for soldiers fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It also has $19.8 billion to continue rebuilding Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and other states after last summer's destruction by Hurricane Katrina and other storms.
U.S. border security agencies also would get more money this year to control illegal immigration along the south-west border, as would government planning for a possible avian flu pandemic.
BRIDGE FUND
Also yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee advanced a $427 billion bill to fund the Pentagon next year and provide an additional $50 billion bridge fund for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars to carry operations through March or so.
The committee again agreed to make the point that they do not want permanent military bases in Iraq, adding an amendment to bar funding for them even though similar language was stripped in final negotiations with the Senate on the emergency spending bill.
"It is important to make it very clear that we have no intention of making Iraq a client state," said Rep. Bill Young, a Florida Republican who chairs the Appropriations defence subcommittee.
The Bush administration has not ruled out establishing a permanent military presence in Iraq.
(Additional reporting by Vicki Allen)
