President Bush’s veto of a supplemental funding bill for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan means negotiations are now underway to produce a new version of a funding bill – one that will satisfy both President Bush and the Democrat-controlled Congress.

Senator Kit Bond says the bill sent to the President was an effort, on the part of Democrats, to make a political point about their desire to get the troops out of Iraq as soon as possible. He says now that that exercise has been completed, serious negotiations can begin. He does, however, have concerns about the direction in which Congress seems to be going.

Bond points out that while Congressional leaders are expressing their desire to end the war, the legislative branch does not have the authority under the Constitution to wage war – only the President can do that. Congress, he notes, controls the purse strings and can end funding for the war. But, but he doubts the House and Senate would take that step.

Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)