Senate Passes Iraq Bill With Withdrawal Timetable

The Senate passed a $123 billion funding bill for Iraq that includes a "goal" of withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq by March 31, 2008. 51 senators voted for the bill, 47 against, mainly along party lines. GOP Sens. Chuck Hagel (Neb.) and Gordon Smith (Ore.) voted with Democrats in favor of the legislation, while Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) voted against it.

The House and Senate will now move to a conference on their differing versions of the Iraq bill, with a final vote to take place after the Easter recess. The House has mandated an Iraq pullout by Sept. 2008 at the latest, and possibly earlier.

Bush has vowed repeatedly to veto any Iraq funding bill that includes a withdrawal date or any restrictions on his ability to conduct the war. The White House has also objected to more than $20 billion in additional domestic spending attached to both versions of the bill.

Prior to the final vote, the Senate agreed to an amendment offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) to strip $25 million from the bill for spinach growers, and added $1.5 billion for 250 new armored vehicles for the Marine Corps.