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Bush requests more money for war
   CCTV.COM   2003-03-25 15:03:59   
    There is reason to believe that the war in Iraq won't be as quick as expected, as US President George W. Bush is to ask US Congress for additional war funding. But some Democrats remain skeptical of how the money will be spent.

    Bush is hoping to get an allowance of up to 74.7 billion US dollars from Congress, assuming the military efforts to oust Saddam Hussein would take 30 days. The money measure, which the president described to congressional leaders, was dominated by 62.6 billion dollars for the Department of Defense. Although politicians are eager to show their support for US troops, Democrats and many Republicans have some objections to parts of the proposal.

    "We have a responsibility to the American people and to the taxpayers to know what we're doing and not just turn this money over to the administration as it were with a blank check. We don't intend to do that," said Robert Byrd, senator.

    Many Democrats are especially concerned with parts of the proposal that would grant broad discretion to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on how 59.9 billion dollars of the Pentagon funds would be spent. Bush is expected to send his recommendations to the Capitol as early as Tuesday.


Editor: Han Ling  CCTV.com


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