The US House of Representatives has voted to double the $6 billion which President Clinton had requested to finance the NATO bombing campaign in Yugoslavia, Joe Carroll writes.
The vote of 311 to 105 was in contrast to the refusal of the House last week to approve a resolution in support of the air strikes. This time the Republicans who opposed the campaign strongly supported the request for funding. Republican whip, Mr Tom Delay, said: "While we may not support the President's ill-advised war, we do support our troops."
Another $7 billion to the President's request, much of it for projects unrelated to the US role in the NATO campaign. These include weaponry, training, recruitment and pay increases.
Republicans justified the increase by accusing the President of allowing the military to be run down. "The White House has bombed its way around the globe while dropping troops far and wide for ill-defined peacemaking duties," Mr Delay said.
The emergency budget will be financed from the Social Security surplus which both parties had promised not to touch as they work out a plan to save the system from eventual bankruptcy.