The House passed a $124-billion supplemental spending package today on a narrow 218-212 vote. Most of the funds are earmarked for the U.S. Military in Iraq but the measure also contains several billion dollars for defense and non-military construction programs.

The construction-related funding would include $1.8 billion for military projects, mostly in Iraq and Afghanistan; $3.1 billion for the defense base closure program; $1.3 billion for levees and other flood-control work around New Orleans; and $283 million for Veterans Affairs construction.

The White House has warned that President Bush would veto the bill, mainly because of language requiring the U.S. to start withdrawing troops next year if political and military benchmarks are achieved before then. The House vote fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

Reference: ENR News Alert