Leading anti-war members say public wants funds pulled

Congress’s most adamantly anti-war members say the public supports their call to use the appropriations process to end the war in Iraq.

{mosads}Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) has announced she will release a poll at a news conference Wednesday that shows Americans strongly oppose Congress providing more money for Iraq funding without conditions. The poll also reportedly shows “broad support” for directing money to pay for a withdrawal of troops.

The poll questioned 1,000 adults, including 796 registered voters. It asked: “President Bush wants Congress to approve a $200 billion dollar request to continue funding the Iraq war and keep the troops in Iraq. Should Congress … vote against the $200 billion funding request; vote for the $200 billion funding request without conditions; or vote for the $200 billion funding request, but specify that it can be used only to protect U.S. troops and contractors and bring them home, rather than to continue the war?”

According to sources familiar with the poll, support for providing funds only for redeployment was stronger among registered voters aged 30-39 than any other group.

The poll was commissioned by Lee’s leadership political action committee and conducted by Lake Research Partners. The margin of error for the full sample of adults is 3.1 percent, and 3.5 percent among registered voters.

Lee will be joined by some of the 86 members of Congress who have signed a letter to President Bush stating their opposition to voting for any Iraq spending measure that does not bring troops home.

The event will come on the fifth anniversary of the House vote authorizing the use of force against Iraq.