The Iraqi draft bill comes as the House has approved a measure that would fund the Iraq War in two stages. Money would be provided until July but then held up until President Bush reports progress on reaching several benchmarks. President Bush has vowed to veto the measure, as he did the Democrats’ war funding bill last week. This is House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “The legislation that we are putting forth on the floor today gives the president the money that he needs for the next few months to engage in the war in Iraq, but it has accountability, and that is something the president has always resisted. And Democrats are not going to give the president a blank check for a war without end. What we want to do is go to the conference and negotiate with the Senate and with the White House on legislation to bring this war to an end. We believe that the legislation that we will present on the floor today will be in further of reaching that store.”

The resolution was approved after antiwar Democrats failed to pass a measure that would put an end to most U.S. military operations in Iraq within nine months. The vote got more supporters than expected, with 170 one in favor and 255 opposed. Bill author Congressmember Jim McGovern of Massachusetts said, “This is proof that the United States Congress is getting closer to where the American people already are.”