Another Sneaky Supplemental

On the heels of the ILWU’s May Day work stoppage to protest the war, which closed ports up and down the West coast, there are rumblings of another supplemental bill sneaking its way through the halls of Congress. Jeff Leys from Chicago-based Voices for Creative Nonviolence is on point as usual.

According to Leys:

Details of the supplemental are being closely guarded by the Democratic party leadership. However, the supplemental is based upon President Bush’s request for an additional $108 billion in supplemental funding for the Iraq – Afghanistan war for the current fiscal year (FY 2008, which ends on September 30, 2008). Of this amount, $102 billion will be for the military.

It looks like the Democratic leadership in the House and Senate are working together to give Bush what he wants, and keeping the date of the vote secret to suppress public opposition:

It is quite possible—indeed probable—that the House version will not be publicly available until the morning of the vote. It is also quite possible that the date the vote takes place on Iraq – Afghanistan war spending won’t be known until the night before the vote is scheduled to occur. This means that it will be next to impossible to mobilize significant opposition to the Iraq – Afghanistan war spending bill.

A rush vote is being designed to sidestep debate in committee, and is expected this week.

Read Leys' full analysis of war funding, build on labor's May Day anti-war action, and get on the horn to your representative through the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Find direct contact information for your representative here.