Capitol Hill Update VI

In the House, Speaker Pelosi split the next war supplemental into separate votes; funding for the war actually failed 141-149 and a new Dec. 31st, 2009 troop withdrawal deadline passed. the House also backed a 13-week extension in unemployment benefits, as well as a $52-billion expansion of veteran education benefits, paid for by a "patriot tax" on wealthy individuals. However, the Senate is expected to reject the withdrawal deadline and veteran-benefits tax, and restore the war funding... Also this week, the House voted for the long-awaited farm bill by a veto-proof margin (as did the Senate, though Bush will still veto in a symbolic move in all likelihood). Lastly, the House backed legislation directing Bush to temporarily stop filling the emergency oil reserve.

In the Senate, there was a near-unanimous vote to scrap FCC-proposed rules that permit one company to own both a newspaper and television station in the same market. By an overwhelming 97-1 margin, the Senate also backed legislation to temporarily halt the filling of the national oil reserve. Bush opposes the bill, but probably will sign it.