sovereignty to the Iraqi people and the withdrawal of troops. The AP reported that the proposal would “let Bush quickly spend the first half of the $20.3 billion but require him to get Congress' assent next year to spend the rest.” The motion to table was agreed to 57-42. [S 1689, Vote 385, 10/16/03; Associated Press, 10/16/03] XXXX Voted Against Striking $20.3 Billion in Grants for Iraq Reconstruction and Require Loans Instead. On October 14, 2003, XXXX voted against an amendment that would strike $20.3 billion in Iraqi reconstruction funding and require the Iraqis to borrow the money instead. The vote was on a Stevens, R-Alaska, motion to table (kill) the Dorgan, D-ND, amendment to the FY 2004 supplement spending bill for Iraq and Afghanistan, which would strike $20.3 billion in appropriations for Iraqi reconstruction funds and require the president to direct the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq to establish an Iraq Reconstruction Finance Authority. The authority would be required to obtain financing for the reconstruction of Iraq's infrastructure through the issuance of securities and other financial instruments, and loans obtained on the open market from private banks and other international financial institutions. It also would require the authority to collateralize such financing with future revenue from its oil reserves to the maximum extent possible. The AP reported that President Bush had “proposed outright grants worth $20.3 billion for rebuilding Iraq's economy and government - money that many Democrats and some Republicans want to turn into loans instead.” The amendment was tabled 57-39. [S 1689, Vote 380, 10/14/03; Associated Press, 10/14/03] XXXX Voted Against Shifting $5 Billion From Iraq Reconstruction to Domestic Programs. In October 2003, XXXX voted against shifting $5 billion in proposed Iraqi reconstruction aid to popular domestic programs. The amendment, which was rejected 35-59, would have used the money to improve U.S schools, fund transportation projects, provide services to veterans and create new jobs. [Vote 379, 10/14/03; Grand Rapid Press, 10/15/03; AP, 10/15/03] XXXX Refused to Roll Back Tax Breaks for the Wealthiest Americans to Help Fund War. In October 2003, XXXX voted to kill a proposal that would have raised $87 billion for the war in Iraq by rolling back the Bush tax cuts for Americans with incomes over $312,000. [Vote 373, 10/2/03; Washington Post, 10/3/03] XXXX Rejected Bid to Cut $15 Billion for Reconstruction. In October 2003, XXXX voted to keep the full $20.3 billion for Iraq reconstruction in the Fiscal Years 2004 emergency spending bill, killing an amendment that would have redirected all but $5.1 billion of that amount for training and equipping Iraqi defense and security forces. [Vote 371, 10/1/03; AP, 10/1/03] XXXX Voted To Provide $600 Million For Food Assistance For The People Of Iraq. XXXX supported an amendment that would appropriate $600 million for food assistance for the people of Iraq. [S 762, Vote 124, 4/3/03] XXXX Voted for Budget With Nonbinding $100 Billion War Reserve. XXXX voted for the Senate Republicans’ Fiscal Year 2004 budget resolution included a $100 billion reserve fund for the cost of the war with Iraq. Since it was in the budget resolution the call for the reserve fund did not carry the force of law. The budget passed 56-44. [Vote 108, 3/26/03; New York Times, 3/27/03] XXXX Voted Against Prioritizing War Costs Over Tax Breaks for the Wealthy. During debate on the Fiscal Year 2004 budget resolution, XXXX voted against the Blue Dog alternative, which would have delayed tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans to alleviate the cost of the war. [Vote 95, 3/25/03; CQ, 3/25/03] XXXX Voted Against Redirecting $100 Billion from Bush Tax Cuts to War Funding. During debate over President Bush’s proposed $726 billion tax cut in March 2003, XXXX voted against a plan to shave $100 billion from the tax cuts and use it to pay for the war in Iraq. Supporters of the amendment said it was inappropriate for Congress to pass a budget that failed to account for the cost of the war. [Vote 67, 3/21/03; Baltimore Sun, 3/22/03] BUDGET PROCESS 146