Senate Passes Revised Defense Policy
By Associated Press | January 23, 2008
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a revised defense policy bill yesterday that authorizes a 3.5% pay raise for troops while sidestepping a veto showdown with President Bush over whether the Iraqi government should compensate victims of state-sponsored abuse during the Saddam Hussein-era.
The 91-3 vote sends the $696 billion measure to Mr. Bush for his expected signature.
The president had rejected an earlier version of the bill because of a provision that would have guaranteed that victims of state-sponsored abuse can sue foreign governments in court and collect judgments by seizing its assets inside America. Mr. Bush said that would have exposed Iraq to high-dollar lawsuits at a time when it is struggling to rebuild its infrastructure.
