|
House Votes to Back Up the President
October 11, 2002 Posted: 1:36 AM EDT (0536 GMT)
| |
Antiwar protesters staged a sit-down at the Capitol during debate on the Iraq resolution.
| |
|
|
President Bush is threatening what he calls a full and final confrontation with Iraq. His comments came as the House of Representatives voted to authorize him to use war as a possible means of disarming the Gulf nation.
That authority came in a vote of 296-133. It's seen as a victory for the Bush administration, and it puts the U.S. closer to forcing Iraq to comply with U.N. resolutions. Those resolutions demand that Iraq give up weapons of mass destruction.
President Bush praised the House for passing the measure. He said that the vote sent a clear message to Iraq's leadership: that if Iraq does not meet U.N. demands, the country would "be forced to comply."
Under the House resolution, the president has new powers and responsibilities. For example, Bush can commit U.S. troops to make sure Iraq gives up weapons of mass destruction, but he must certify that action against Iraq would not hinder efforts in the broader War on Terrorism. He also must report to Congress on the status of the situation every 60 days.
Congress has been the scene of contentious debate on the issue. Though some lawmakers have expressed hesitance to agree to the measure because they think it gives President Bush too much power, others have voiced their support for it in a show of bipartisanship. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, for example, announced he would support Bush on Iraq. He said it was important for the U.S. "to speak with one voice at this critical moment."
And despite the extensive debate on the resolution, Senate Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, who helped draft the measure, said that America's enemies should not view it as a sign of division. He said that debate was an exercise of the country's right of free speech, thought, and ability to freely determine the country's course.
|
