US House passes Iraq funds bill Bush would veto

WASHINGTON, May 11 (Reuters) The US House of Representatives passed an Iraq war funds bill that President George W Bush has promised to veto because it only provides enough money to continue combat for the next two or three months without a guarantee of future funding.

By a vote of 221-205, the House approved yesterday the Democratic-backed bill that would give Bush 42.8 billion dollars in emergency military funds for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and related activities.

An additional 52.8 billion dollars would have to be approved by Congress in late July, after Bush submits progress reports on the war. Lawmakers would then decide whether to use this second batch of money to continue combat or to bring most US troops out of Iraq.

Reuters JK SBA VP0615