Voting Present -- to help kill the Bill

posted by Edward Felker, P-B Washington Bureau

Apparently you can say no by just showing up.

House Republicans on Thursday decided to protest being shut out of the drafting of the $162.5 billion Iraq war supplemental spending bill by voting "present" in large enough numbers to combine with anti-war Democratic opposition to block passage. The roll call vote reads as follows: 141 yes, 149 no, 132 present, 12 not voting.

As a result, the bill goes back to the drawing board. Among the 85 Democrats and 56 Republicans voting in favor were Reps. Tim Walz, D-Mankato, Collin Peterson, D-Detroit Lakes, and Jim Ramstad, R-Minnetonka.

Voting no were 147 Democrats and two Republicans, including Reps. Keith Ellison, D-Minneapolis, Betty McCollum, D-St. Paul, and James Oberstar, D-Chisholm. Voting present were 132 Republicans, including Reps. John Kline, R-Lakeville, and Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater.

Walz issued a release in which he touted his support for the spending bill and two additional measures brought to the floor with itl: a nonbinding resolution to pull troops out of Iraq starting in 30 days, require Iraq to match U.S. reconstruction aid and provide fuel for American forces at the same price paid by Iraqis, ban torture and ban permanent U.S. bases in Iraq.  The second bill was to extend veterans benefits and unemployment benefits, paid by a net $53 milllion tax on millionaire filers. Both passed primarily with Democratic backing. See the votes here and here. 

Kline issued a statement defending his and others present votes: "We will not allow the majority to use the backs of our sons and daughters in uniform currently in harm's way to advance their political agenda, which is why we used the only parliamentary tool at our disposal -- voting present -- to draw attention to this irresponsible behavior," he said.   

For more, see the story at The Politico.