Byrd Defends The Realm; Will Handle Iraq Bill

Robert C. Byrd has undergone a lot of scrutiny of late thanks to his age and frailty, yet he is refusing to give up an opportunity to shape the largest Iraq funding bill since the war began five years ago.

Byrd said Wednesday he will handle the bill in his Appropriations Committee rather than letting the legislation go straight to the Senate floor as some had suggested. It's not clear yet if Senate Democratic leaders, who are wary of giving the 90-year old Byrd much heavy lifting these days, back this plan. But Byrd sent a letter to the top Senate Republican on the Appropriations Committee saying he will schedule a markup of the Iraq funding bill _ which could top $178 billion _ next week.

Byrd's decision comes as the House considers bypassing the traditional committee process altogether, a maneuver that GOP critics have decried as a power grab. Byrd's letter could also create a dilemma for Senate Democratic leaders _ now that he has gone public with his intention to handle the Iraq debate himself in committee, it would be a public relations disaster if Democratic leaders decided to ignore Byrd and take the bill away from him.

Byrd's letter, released to Politico this afternoon, was a response to a Tuesday evening letter from Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) that the Appropriations Committee would be bypassed in the Senate, short circuiting the traditional committee debate.

"I agree with the points contained in that letter, as do many of the members of the Committee on my side of the aisle, and I will schedule a full Senate Appropriations Committee mark-up during the week of May 5," Byrd wrote. "It is my intention to move forward with a supplemental appropriations bill that also addresses some of our critically needed priorities on American soil."
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