The U.S. Senate continues its debate over President Bush’s request for $87-Billion for the war effort in Iraq, with Senator Bond defending the request that $20.3-Billion of that total be used to rebuild the war-town country. Battle lines are being drawn in Washington over the budget request. But Senator Bond says the $20.3-Billion will be necessary to build roads, train police and make sure the lights are working and the water is running – all things he says are necessary to move closer to getting the U.S. out of Iraq. Bond prefers a grant to a loan, saying Iraq is already bearing too much of a burden during its post-Saddam Hussein reconstruction phase to have to pay back a loan of that size. Congress hopes to vote on the $87-Billion package by week’s end and send it to the President before the Ocober 23rd-24th Iraq Donors Conference in Madrid, Spain.
