06.07.07
Rep. Michael McCaul Sends Up A Bill - UPDATED
Today the AAS has an article about Rep. Michael McCaul (R - Austin) Milquetoast proposal for Iraq, McCaul bill urges Bush to heed advice of Iraq Study Group. My first thought is has Bush ever responded to an urging from Congress? Here’s what it will do, or not do, as the case may be:
The benchmarks set in both the report and McCaul’s proposal include creating an oil revenue-sharing agreement, securing Iraq’s borders and rapidly increasing the training of Iraqi forces. If various economic, political and military goals are met, U.S. troops could begin to redeploy from the region in early 2008. McCaul’s bill does not, however, set a specific deadline for withdrawal.
The chances of all that happening by 2008 are impossible. This bill is nothing more than Rep. McCaul trying to cover himself on the war against his future Democratic challenger for his 2008 reelection bid. He knows it has no chance of getting to the floor because majorities in both parties don’t like it.
Here’s what Rep. John Carter’s mouthpiece had to say about it:
Republicans are shying away because the measure suggests a 2008 winding down of U.S. combat operations in Iraq. Democratic leadership is cool to the bill because its language doesn’t go far enough and require a withdrawal.
“The congressman does not really foresee using his leadership role to drum up support for this particular bill,” said Lindsey Willis, a spokeswoman for Rep. John Carter, R-Round Rock.
Carter is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Republicans’ conference secretary, the sixth-ranking position in GOP leadership in the House. Willis said Carter supports the Iraq Study Group’s recommendations, though, and would support McCaul’s bill should it come up for a vote.
He’s for it, he just won’t use any of his “power” to help get it passed.
Not a big deal because the Democrats have had enough trouble of their own getting bills with serious timetables or benchmarks - whatever the phrase is this week - passed into law. This bill it DOA. It would be interesting to see it get a vote, just to see if Carter really would vote for it. More that likely the only reason that statement was made is because his office knows the bill won’t get a vote.
UPDATE: TexasKaos has this from Dan Grant who’s running for the Democratic Nomination in TX-10, McCaul’s seat, I’m Running to Reclaim the Seat Tom DeLay Stole From LBJ.