The three nays came from Byrd (D-WV), Coburn (R-OK), and Feingold (D-WI).
The 5 Senators not voting were Biden (D-DE), Clinton (D-NY), Dodd (D-CT), McCain (R-AZ), and Obama (D-IL).
Measure Title: To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2008 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes.
Roll call can be found here.
The House passed its version of the defense authorization bill in May by a 397-27 vote
Roll call for that vote is here.
This was a 648 billion dollar defense policy bill with 128 billion dollars ( Addition- Below CBS says that figure is $150 billion) for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to a Congressional Budget Office estimate. (Source )
This bill does not contain any Iraq withdrawal language.
The Department of Defense Authorization bill for fiscal year 2008 sets the size of programs, funds can only be disbursed after the passage of a Senate defense spending bill due to be taken up by the chamber this week.
Senator Joseph Biden proposed a non binding amendment calling for a federalization of Iraq, which passed, but being non binding, it cannot force Bush to change strategy, especially since there has been so much progress over the last few months.
Yesterday we saw reports that U.S. Military casualties declined for the fourth month in a row and are at the lowest in 14 months and today we see that violent deaths of Iraqi's have also plunged in numbers.
I will bring reactions as they come in.
[Update] The Hill is also discussing this. Also News.com.au.
[Update] CBS says it is $150 billion more for the Iraq and Afghanistan.
Thwarted in efforts to bring troops home from Iraq, Senate Democrats on Monday helped pass a defense policy bill authorizing another $150 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The outrage... begins over war funding.
[Update] More from Weekly Standard regarding the Defense Authorization.
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