White House: Bush will veto latest Iraq spending bill

President Bush will veto the latest Democratic Iraq spending bill unless changes on funding restrictions are made, the White House announced Wednesday.

“The bill that was at least being whipped yesterday contains elements of the bill the president vetoed already, and if it were to come to his desk, it would be vetoed,” White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters.

{mosads}Democrats are weighing a proposal that would fund the troops now but that would also allow Congress to cut off those funds if the situation in Iraq does not improve by July.

“Our commitment is clear: We want the troops funded through the fiscal year,” Snow said. The White House spokesman lamented that the bill includes spending that is unrelated to the military and the war in Iraq.

Snow stressed that negotiations between the White House and Congress are ongoing. The president’s chief of staff, Joshua Bolten, is set to discuss the issue today with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and Tuesday Bolten spoke to House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) about the supplemental spending bill.