Spring Break May Delay War Funds

Spring break checklist for Congress: A plane ticket back home, chocolate (or matzo) for the family and a war spending bill for the president.
The last item might need to wait.
Senate Democrats beat back Republican efforts Tuesday to strip a key provision of the $122 billion wartime spending package that sets goals for withdrawing troops from Iraq -- a significant turnaround from just two weeks ago, when the GOP defeated a similar withdrawal measure. The Republican amendment was defeated, 50 to 48.
The Senate will take a final vote before the Easter recess Thursday but is not expected to reconcile its version with the House bill until both chambers are in session April 16 -- one day after the Pentagon says it must get the emergency funding for troop operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in order to avoid cutbacks.
The White House doesn't intend to accept the IOU quietly, accusing the Democratic-controlled Congress of skipping town before its work is done.
"They should stick around until they send him a bill," White House spokesman Tony Fratto said. "You can be sure that we won't be shy about talking about that."

The story can be found here.