CNN's McIntyre: Bush “can't sign” war funding bill Congress sent him

Written by Ben Armbruster

Published


On the April 30 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, reporting on how the standoff over Iraq war funding could possibly delay the purchase of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicles, CNN senior Pentagon correspondent Jamie McIntyre said: “And so, while the Democrats send the president a bill he can't sign, and the president holds out for one with no timelines, the Army and the Marines have to get by with the 1,000 vehicles they have now, not the 6,000 more they're still waiting for.” McIntyre's construction -- that President Bush “can't sign” the war funding bill -- echoes the White House's position on the bill. Congress passed a bill that provides $124 billion in funding and requires that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq begin by October 2007. Bush could sign the bill and fund the war, including the supply of MRAP vehicles, but instead he has vowed to veto it.

From the April 30 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

McINTYRE: But plans to kick the deployment of the better-armored vehicles to Iraq into high gear has hit a political roadblock: the standoff between Congress and the White House over Iraq funding. While each side blames the other, $3 billion for more life-saving vehicles is held hostage to the political debate. As the outgoing Army chief told Congress last month, the only hold-up is funding.

GEN. PETE SCHOOMAKER (U.S. Army chief of staff): We can build what we could get the funds to build. It's strictly an issue of money.

[end video clip]

McINTYRE: And so, while the Democrats send the president a bill he can't sign, and the president holds out for one with no timelines, the Army and the Marines have to get by with the 1,000 vehicles they have now, not the 6,000 more they're still waiting for -- Wolf.

BLITZER: So, you -- there's a clear frustration level that you're sensing out there?

McINTYRE: Well, that's right. I mean, obviously it doesn't become a critical problem right away. But with Congress looking like they may not come up with a compromise until June, that's really putting the squeeze on the Army to try to reprogram some funds to keep the flow of these vehicles going.

BLITZER: Jamie, thank you for that. We'll stay on top of this story for our viewers.