David Obey holds up war funding until domestic priorities are addressed

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0610/38553.html

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Obey has been central to the fight over education aid and, in an interview, drew a direct link between war funding and progress on domestic priorities.

He said he would withhold action on the war funds until there was some resolution on a major economic relief bill extending jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed and popular tax breaks for individuals and businesses.

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As for Obey himself, there’s no hiding his skepticism. “It is a huge problem for me,” he said of the increased military commitments. “Let me put it this way. I am confused, and I have a right to be.”

Now in his last months in Congress, Obey is a fierce advocate of education and a close Pelosi ally. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has supported him on seeking more aid to avert teacher layoffs. But the chairman remains frustrated with the White House, which has sent mixed signals on how hard it would fight for the money.

The initial goal had been $23 billion in aid, but in recent days, Obey has whittled this back to about $10 billion and has been shopping different offsets from defense and some of the administration’s own priorities in the giant Recovery Act of 2009.

The White House is now actively involved in these talks, but of Obama’s letter, Obey said the missing ingredient was an official budget request.

“The letter is nice,” the chairman said. “We still don’t have an official budget request.”


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