Democrats load up on antiwar bills

More than 40 bills that call for pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq or otherwise trying to end the war are being kicked around Congress by Democrats eager to again challenge President Bush.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid say they will put troop-withdrawal timetables in upcoming defense-spending bills, despite backing down last month when Mr. Bush vetoed a war-funding bill over similar measures.

“We’re fairly well set up now as to how we’re going to do it and when we’re going to do it,” said Mr. Reid, Nevada Democrat.

The feminist antiwar group Code Pink said Democratic leaders are bowing to intense pressure from the party’s antiwar base.

“We will continue to keep the pressure on them, and we will be relentless,” said Code Pink spokeswoman Dana Balicki.

When the Senate takes up the $648 billion defense-authorization bill for fiscal 2008 at the end of this month, Mr. Reid plans to attach an amendment by Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat and chairman of the Armed Services Committee, that would reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq in 120 days.

Mr. Reid also is reviewing other options, including at least nine Senate bills that would pull out U.S. forces or limit troop levels and a bill to end Congress’ 2002 war authorization, a Democratic aide said.

Mrs. Pelosi plans to use the defense appropriations bill next month as a vehicle for legislation by a fellow California Democrat, Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher, that would revoke the war authorization and begin a pullout of U.S. forces.

The speaker promises a vote in September on a bill by Rep. Jim McGovern, Massachusetts Democrat and outspoken critic of the war, that would begin a troop pullout in 90 days and limit future U.S. military operations in Iraq.

“Debate and votes on the Iraq war — including rescinding the original authorization for the use of force, a timetable for the redeployment of U.S. troops and other amendments to appropriations bills — are likely throughout the summer,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said.

Iraq war legislation already in the House hopper include at least 15 with pullout timetables, four to undo the war authorization, three that limit troop levels and other bills that would set benchmarks for progress, ban permanent U.S. bases in the country and require Iraqis to vote on whether U.S. troops should leave.

Senate bills in the mix include five for troop withdrawal, four to limit troop levels, two setting benchmarks and one to deauthorize the war.

Another bill introduced this week by Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado and Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee would make the recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which advocated a goal to redeploy troops from Iraq, as official U.S. policy.

Mr. Reid does not favor the Salazar-Alexander bill because it doesn’t set a firm deadline to decrease troop levels.

Democrats want to focus the attention on Republicans with a series of war votes that they hope will peel away support for Mr. Bush.

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