Aspects of Defense Bill Contradict White House

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

The Senate unanimously approved a defense authorization bill yesterday that divides up $490 billion, and it also makes policy statements that put the Republican-led chamber on a collision course with the White House. It's because the bill contains several measures at odds with Bush administration policies. Joining us now to talk about what is in and out of the defense bill is NPR congressional correspondent David Welna.

David, good morning.

DAVID WELNA reporting:

Good morning, Steve.

INSKEEP: So what did the senators end up saying to the president, in effect, about Iraq?

WELNA: Well, more probably than the president would like, and that's because in an amendment that was added right before final passage yesterday, the Senate voted 79-to-19 to require the Bush administration to spell out the conditions necessary to begin the phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq, as well as asking for quarterly reports from the president on the status of efforts to train Iraqi security forces. Now that's an interesting development because Senate Republicans essentially took an almost identical amendment to this effect that was drawn up by Democrats and put their stamp on it by removing the Democrats' requirement for estimates on a troop withdrawal timetable. And even though the White House is casting this action as a show of support for its policies, I think it's really an implicit rebuke of how the president's been handling the war. It even calls on him to explain to both Congress and the American people what the plan is for a successful completion of the US mission in Iraq. Democratic Leader Harry Reid went so far as to call this a vote of no confidence in the administration's Iraq policy.

INSKEEP: Now this bill that passed unanimously also includes, does it not, a torture provision that the White House did not want, sponsored by John McCain of Arizona, a Republican.

WELNA: Indeed. The Senate voted last month 90-to-9 to put that torture provision in a defense spending bill, which is one of those bills Congress has to pass, but I think it tells you a lot, that spending bill that they first put it in carrying the McCain amendment has not even gone to a conference yet to work out differences with the House, and I think one of the big reasons is that bill is stalled is because the White House has threatened President Bush would use his veto power for the very first time to stop that bill, and he'd have to use it against a bill that would be funding a war that's going on, and that the Pentagon says is threatening to drain its resources before this bill gets out of Congress.

Now whether Mr. Bush actually uses his veto against that defense spending bill or this defense authorization bill that has the McCain amendment remains to be seen, but it's clearly caused a standoff between at least the Senate and the White House, and Vice President Cheney has not yet been able to convince the Senate to redraw that amendment so that it would not include the CIA in its strictures. So both the defense spending bill and the defense authorization bill now have that McCain amendment.

INSKEEP: So they've approved that amendment twice and they have asked the president for more information about Iraq. Does this add up to Republicans seriously questioning where the White House is going?

WELNA: I think that's exactly what's going on, and of course it comes at a time when two-thirds of the nation is expressing the same misgivings in a number of recent polls and, you know, Republicans read those polls, too, and they talk about the angst they hear back in their home states from constituents over the course of the war, and I think this Iraq War policy measure that they passed yesterday gives them something to show to the home crowd even though it's a non-binding amendment on a bill that is not--must pass legislation. More than anything, though, I think this is all about sending a strong message that patience is running out on Iraq.

INSKEEP: Is there anything in the bill that the White House could claim as a policy victory?

WELNA: Well, I think that the Bush administration could be somewhat pleased with the measure that was added yesterday to this defense authorization bill that limits the rights of foreign detainees in US courts. Originally it was--there was an amendment to remove all right to habeas corpus; that was scaled back somewhat, but I think the White House would be happy about that measure.

INSKEEP: And just in a couple of seconds, will this bill become law, the bill that the Senate passed yesterday?

WELNA: Well, right now I'd say it's a long shot given the number of controversial amendments in it. More than anything, I think this bill tells the White House that an unpopular war has got to be wrapped up soon.

INSKEEP: David, thanks very much.

WELNA: Sure, Steve.

INSKEEP: That's NPR congressional correspondent David Welna.

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