Senate orders administration to provide Iraq progress reports

The Senate Tuesday unanimously approved the long-stalled fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill after adding a Republican-backed amendment that steps up congressional oversight of the military's progress in Iraq.

Sponsored by Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., the amendment would require the Bush administration to submit quarterly unclassified reports to Congress on progress in Iraq. It passed 79-19, with the amended bill clearing the Senate by a 98-0 margin.

The Republican language is largely similar to a Democratic amendment offered by Armed Services ranking member Carl Levin, D-Mich., that was defeated 58-40, signaling growing interest on both sides of the aisle in monitoring the administration's handling of the war.

"It's not often you see in our legislative halls here in Washington votes of no confidence on an administration. Today you saw a vote of no confidence in the Bush administration's policy on Iraq," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said.

But Republicans insisted their amendment did not reflect a rift with the White House. Rather, the language sends a "strong bipartisan message to the world that we expect the Iraqi people in the coming months to take a stronger take-charge action," Warner said. He added he has not been satisfied with Iraq's ability to stand up its government, and views the next 120 days as particularly critical to the nascent government's future.

Republicans used the Democratic language as the basis for their amendment, but added a paragraph requiring the administration to develop a "campaign plan" estimating dates for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. But the GOP amendment still contains language stating that 2006 should be a "period of transition ... thereby creating the conditions for the phased redeployment of United States forces from Iraq."

Armed Services Airland Subcommittee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., opposed both versions because he said they both contained timetables for withdrawal. Warner said Republicans erased such provisions.

The Senate also passed an amendment offered by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., allowing detainees held at the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, limited access to federal courts. Graham initially sought to prevent prisoners from challenging their detention in U.S. courts, but reached a compromise Monday that softened the language. The compromise passed, 84-14, while the modified amendment succeeded on a voice vote.

Warner wants to begin conferencing his bill with the House-passed version as early as Wednesday. McCain, however, continues to doubt whether conferees will reach a successful agreement on the bill because of his sweeping amendment banning the torture of U.S.-held detainees. The amendment has overwhelming support from senators, but is opposed by the White House, which has threatened a veto if the bill contains the McCain language.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues to pressure appropriators to begin conferencing the fiscal 2006 Defense spending bill. Acting Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England sent a letter Monday to leaders of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, urging them to finish the bill before Congress leaves town for Thanksgiving. The House still has not announced its conferees.

"The military services are already taking actions to defer spending as operations and maintenance accounts become increasingly stressed," England wrote. England said he was particularly concerned that extending the continuing resolution would delay overhaul work on an aircraft carrier and hinder efforts to fund technologies that counter roadside bombs.

John Stanton contributed to this report.