Democratic Senator Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, tabled a controversial proposal on Monday to choke off funds for Iraq war should President Bush reject a proposal towards withdrawing US troops from Iraq.

 

Reid warned that should Bush veto legislation creating a pullout deadline, he would join Senator Russ Feingold (D.-Wisconsin) in calling for an end to the war by holding back funding therefore.

 

"Congress has a responsibility to end a war that is opposed by the American people and is undermining our national security," said Feingold.

 

Both the House and the Senate passed emergency funding legislation that, despite providing extra funding for the conflict, contains precise timetables for removing American forces from the Middle-Eastern nation. Bush has warned he would veto any bill carrying a deadline.

 

The bill that passed the Senate last week states that Bush must start withdrawing troops 120 days after it is signed into law, and that all combat forces must leave by March 31, 2008. The House has passed a similar measure, although with an August 31, 2008 deadline for a complete pull-out.

 

The House and Senate are now working on a final joint proposal which Congress will then send to the White House for a presidential signing or veto.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 3, 2007)