House Democrats are working toward a consensus for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Peter Cohn and Christian Bourge of Congress Daily report that Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) has a plan that would establish a timetable for withdrawal and mandate that the Iraqi government meet benchmarks within that context. The Democrats have been stalling the budget resolution and the Iraq supplemental spending bill as a result. “What we’re trying to do it make policy, not just points,” said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), according to The Hill’s Mike Soraghan. Resolving the issue “has taken longer than we thought it would,” he said. He also said members are discussing a way to allow caucus members to offer an amendment on the floor during the Iraq debate for a full troop withdrawal.
Top Lawmakers Want 15 Percent Pay Raise for Enlisted Troops
April 19, 2024
A new law introduced by Congress would raise the pay rate 15 percent for junior enlisted troops and seek improvements on a range of quality of life issues, such as pay and compensation, child care, housing, health care access, and military spouse employment.