Byrd cancels Iraq markup

A frustrated Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) cancelled an Appropriations Committee vote on a long-awaited bill to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan just more than an hour before it was to start.

In a statement Thursday, Byrd said that inaction in the House is "reluctantly" forcing him to pull the plug on the markup at the request of House and Senate Democratic leaders. The markup will occur on May 15, he said.

{mosads}"My patience is growing thin," Byrd said. "I am putting my colleagues in both the House and Senate on notice that whether the House acts or not next week, the Senate Appropriations Committee will move forward with a markup of the supplemental appropriations bill. We must not delay this matter further. We need to mark up in full view of the public before we take this supplemental request to the Senate floor."

Byrd scheduled the markup despite considerations by Senate leaders to bring the bill directly to the floor, bypassing the committee. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) wants to bypass her Appropriations Committee, but she scrapped an anticipated House floor vote Thursday because of concerns that the package did not offset spending on a $720 million package of educational benefits for veterans.

The leaders had hoped to move the bill quickly and send to President Bush for his signature, but the bill has been bogged down amid disagreements on the substance and process in both the House and Senate Democratic caucuses. The Senate bill is expected to range around $200 billion, which would fund war operations for the rest of this year and part of next year, and the House bill is projected to range around $180 billion.

The fight between Byrd and his party's leaders has played out amid questions about Byrd's age and ability to lead his committee. Byrd will turn 91 this year and has suffered  from ill health.