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Senate GOP leaders block Webb dwell-time plan

A Senate proposal to guarantee combat troops more time at home was derailed Wednesday by a procedural roadblock thrown by Republicans.

Fifty-six senators supported the plan offered by two military veterans — Sens. Jim Webb, D-Va., and Chuck Hagel, R-Neb. — that would promise service members returning from deployment as much time at home as they had spent in a combat zone, unless they volunteer to return early.

Under normal circumstances, 56 votes would have been enough for the measure to pass. But the Senate’s debate over Iraq policy during consideration of the $648 billion defense policy bill for 2008 is not normal, because Republican leaders have vowed to use procedural moves to stop Democrats from changing the Bush administration’s Iraq strategy.

With Republicans threatening endless debate, known in legislative terms as a filibuster, supporters of the Webb-Hagel amendment needed to muster 60 votes to stop the talking and bring the plan to a vote. They fell four votes short.

Webb said he was disappointed but won’t give up. “We are going to continue to focus on this,” he said.

The intent of the guaranteed time at home, known as “dwell time,” is “to protect our troops,” he said.

Hagel also vowed to try again with a modified amendment. “If we cannot get this right, I am not sure what we can do,” he said.

Opponents said the dwell-time plan would have Congress making decisions that are best left to the president and military commanders.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said the amendment would have created a “congressionally mandated fence around every service member.”

“This certainly is without precedent,” McCain said. “I think it would be bad congressional micromanagement” and would have “immediate, adverse effects” on Iraq operations.

“If you want to take care of the troops, let them win,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the former chairman of the Senate Armed Services military personnel subcommittee.

Sen. Barbara Milkuski, D-Md., said she was disappointed in the Senate for blocking a vote on an amendment aimed at supporting troops and their families, especially one sponsored by two Vietnam combat veterans whose views on personnel issues traditionally would be given great weight because “they know the stresses of war.”

Work on the defense bill continues, with other Iraq-related amendments expected on setting a withdrawal date for U.S. combat troops and ordering a change in the missions assigned to those troops.

Republican leaders intend to use the same tactic of potentially unending debate, which will continue to force Democrats to try and muster 60 votes to stop them. Falling short on the less-controversial deployment issue is believed to be a sign that 60 votes will not be found for other Iraq amendments opposed by the Bush administration.