US House passes €392bn defence bill

THE US House of Representatives has overwhelmingly approved a $491 billion (€392bn) defence bill that contains new funds for the war in Iraq, but it rejected an attempt to force on the Bush administration a timetable for withdrawing troops from the country.

By a vote of 390-39, lawmakers passed the 2006 National Defence Authorisation Act that establishes spending ceilings and policies for the Pentagon and other agencies on matters ranging from military pay to weapons procurements to missile defence.

“This bill strikes the right balance,” said House Speaker Dennis Hastert. “It shows that we’re being responsible with taxpayer dollars while providing the tools needed to protect America from terrorists.”