Congress and the White House Remian Locked in an Impasse Over a Troop Funding Bill

The White and Congress remain in a deadlock over funding for US troops in Iraq because of the Democratic controlled Congress stubborn stand on setting a deadline for troop withdrawals.

While US troops remain in a deadly crossfire between insurgents and terrorists in Iraq, the US government remains bogged down on the issue of troop funding that will give these over-taxed troops much needed equipment and supplies.

After a nearly 90-minute meeting on Capitol Hill, White House chief of staff Joshua Bolten issued a statement saying any bill with language mentioning any type of troop withdrawal action is something the White House is just not willing to accept at this time.

House leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, and Senate leader Harry Reid, D-NV, issued a joint counter statement saying the Democrats latest proposal includes language giving the President the ability to waive troop withdrawals if the Iraqi government reaches certain benchmarks. These two Democratic leaders said they are also willing to remove domestic spending language attached to the troop funding bill as long as President Bush acknowledges the need for a troop withdrawal deadline.

These are the first concessions by the Democrats in their battle with the White House over a troop funding bill that is long overdue.

"To say I was disappointed in the meeting is an understatement," Reid, D-Nev., told reporters. "I really did expect that the president would accept some accountability for what we're trying to accomplish here."

At risk is the $90 billion dollar funding request President Bush states as necessary for continued operations through September in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Congress sent a bill to the President on May 1 approving the required funding of troops, but this bill also stated troop withdrawals must begin on Oct. 1. The President quickly vetoed this bill on the same day because of the troop withdrawal language.

According to a report released Friday by the GAO ( Government Accountability Office), the US has spent more than $300 billion on military operations in Iraq.

The Bush administration and Congressional Republicans say they are willing to consider legislation setting goals for the Iraqi government to reach if the Iraqis want to continue receiving financial aid from the United States.

However, the most pressing question is whether President Bush is willing to accept binding legislation calling for serious consequences to the Iraqi government if they fail to meet the established guidelines. Aides to the President say Bush should have the power to waive these restrictions, but Democrats say this compromise by the President is too weak.

Democratic and Republican aides gave hints that Pelosi and Reid both gave a lukewarm response to this Bush proposal because the Democrats are stuck on the idea of a troop withdrawal date.

Also not being ruled out is the idea of the Democrats sending the President another troop funding bill with withdrawal language still attached, but this action will just lead to another Bush veto.

"I was a little surprised that (the) Democratic leaders, at least so far, seem so dug in on that position" of setting a timetable, Bolten said. "Because it's a position that ... the president vetoed and which was sustained in" both chambers.

The Democrats have started to come under pressure to not cede ground on a troop withdrawal plan for a war that is becoming more and more unpopular. The House in particular is coming under fire to not give in to the President because many of the newly elected House Democrats were voted into office with the idea they would be able to bring the troops home.

"It is clear that the difference between the Democrats and the president is the issue of accountability," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "He will not accept any accountability or responsibility for what has happened there."

Attending this rare meeting between Democrats and Republican leaders were Bolten, White House national security adviser Stephen Hadley and White House budget director Rob Portman, as well as Reid, Pelosi, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Reps. Jerry Lewis and David Obey. Lewis, R-Calif., is the top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee and Obey, D-Wis., is chairman.

House Republican Leader John Boehner, R-OH, was also an attendee at this meeting. He took this opportunity to slam Democrats over their offer to remove domestic spending language attached to the troop funding bill because the Democrats want to keep the troop withdrawal language attached to any troop funding bill

"What a principled stand to take when we're talking about our men and women in uniform in Iraq taking on the enemy in a war that I think most Americans want to win," said Boehner.

Pelosi went on to say the troops would be funded, regardless of how negotiations with the White House are proceeding. Pelosi also went on to say she is still working with Sen. Reid on drafting a new troop funding bill Democrats want to send to the President next week.

The Democrats are not saying what this new bill will look like, but it appears nothing is off the table and that includes setting a troop withdrawal time-line.

Read more about this impasse at Yahoo News