This question regards the Iraq spending. Could someone briefly describe the process for making a bill the law?

Question

The House of Representatives passed an Iraq spending bill last week.

The Senate just passed a different spending bill.

Do they now get together and finalize a bill that both House and Senate sign off on, and then send that to the President?

And, if the President doesn't sign it (which he won't - he already said he is the decider, and he has decided he won't allow a bill that requires a timeline), do the troops whither away and starve? What happens?

And why are the politicians using the troops as chips in a poker game? That is disgraceful (on both sides), in my opinion.

Answer 1

Yes, they get together in a conference committee and make a compromise bill, and both houses must pass that one again.

If the President doesn't sign it, and the previous year's funding expires, Congress would likely pass a quick resolution extending last year's funding - or they may have already made that automatic. But if there were ever a case where the troops were officially defunded, the President would likely just keep spending the money with the expectation that Congress will approve it. They wouldn't just stop what they're doing or not get paid and fed.

As for being chips, well, this is the only leverage Congress has to get Bush moving on this war. Trying to bring them home isn't really using them as chips in a poker game, it's trying to get them home.