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July 17, 2007

Whitehouse to join Reed in Senate debate / Photo

AP photo
Cots are delivered today to the Capitol, where the Senate plans an all-night session of to debate President Bush's military strategy in Iraq amid bipartisan proposals to redeploy U.S. troops.

WASHINGTON -- The Senate could take on the atmosphere of a sleepover camp tonight, as it prepares an all-night debate on legislation co-sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Carl Levin.

Rhode Island Democrat Reed will be joined by his fellow Democrat, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who is scheduled to take to the floor early tomorrow morning. Reed joined other Senators earlier today for a press conference on the issue.

The amendment offered by Reed and Levin would begin redeploying American troops out of Iraq within four months, with a target ending date of April 30, 2008.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has announced that he and the Senate’s Democratic leadership will hold the body in session overnight to force senators who oppose the Levin-Reed amendment to explain to the American people why they do not support bringing troops home.

Events tonight include a “Call to Action to Change Course in Iraq” rally at 9 p.m. at the Upper Senate Park, at the U.S. Capitol. Whitehouse will attend, according to his office.

Iraq War veterans, military families, and members of Americans United for Change, Moveon.org and Vote Vets will join members of Congress to remember soldiers who have lost their lives in Iraq.

At approximately 2 a.m. Whitehouse is scheduled to join the all-night debate in the Senate chamber to discuss the need for a change of course.

A member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Whitehouse visited Iraq in March to learn more about the situation there. Reed, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, recently returned from his 10th wartime trip to Iraq.

Keep up with the overnight action via Associated Press reports on projo.com's home page. You can also watch the debate live online via c-span.org.

Posted by Andrea Panciera  at 6:49 PM | Permalink

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