Add-ons to war-funding bill

    In order for the president of the United States to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is necessary to convince Congress to approve operational funding on an annual basis.
    That time is upon us, as the Senate begins debate on President George Bush’s $183.8 billion request.
    We expect robust debate, particularly concerning the add-on provisions. Supplemental funding measures — entirely unrelated to military capabilities — are aplenty. ...
    These add-ons, mostly from the Democratic side of the aisle but with choice Republican offerings as well, underscore the need to change how things work in Washington. This is a war-funding bill. Anything that doesn’t relate to ongoing efforts in these theaters of operation or work to support the dedicated service personnel should be stripped.
    One add-on, the GI Bill expansion, that has caught the attention of many lawmakers, including Reps. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., and Nancy Boyda, D-Kan., should be left intact. It’s expensive, more than $50 billion over the next 10 years, but it fits within the criteria outlined above.
    It is imperative the GI Bill be expanded to pay the full cost of a college education for honorably discharged veterans. ...
    This strikes us as a justifiable expense to throw into the cost-benefit equation new recruits work through. The already-mentioned pork barrel projects and unrelated “priorities” do not.
    If the president receives this bill in its current form, we stand in support of his threatened veto. We encourage Congress to take off the add-ons and simply do what’s right for our troops. If we have to have a war-funding bill, that version would at least be worth voting for.