Byrd: "My Patience Is Growing Thin" On Iraq Bill

The much hyped Iraq debate in botch chambers of Congress remains in limbo today, as the Senate Appropriations Committee has canceled its much-anticipated markup while the House remains stalled by GOP procedural tactics and Democratic infighting.

Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) just released a notice canceling the Senate Appropriations Committee markup, saying: "In view of House inaction on the legislation this week, I have very reluctantly agreed to the request of the House and Senate Democratic leadership to postpone" the markup.

Byrd says he is moving ahead next week no matter what.

"My patience is growing thin. I am putting my colleagues in both the House and Senate on notice that whether the House acts or not next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will move forward with a mark-up of the supplemental appropriations bill," he said in a statement. "We must not delay this matter further. We need to mark up in full view of the public before we take this supplemental request to the Senate floor."

Details of the Senate version of the Iraq supplemental spending bill were reported earlier today in this story by Politico's David Rogers.