"House Dems considering deal with anti-war liberals"

The Hill:

A deal may be in the offing for liberal House Democrats who voted for the two versions of the Iraq war supplemental spending bills that passed.

While House Democratic leaders’ primary aim is to rally the caucus around a single supplemental spending bill, House Democratic leaders are considering offering anti-war liberals an opportunity to vote on a measure that would set a withdrawal date, in exchange for support on a compromise bill that likely would not include a fixed withdrawal date, Democratic aides said.

For the first time in her tenure as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) faces the prospect of passing a measure with nearly equal numbers of Democratic and Republican votes. Her predecessor, Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), made it a practice not to pass bills that the majority of the Republican conference did not support.

Democratic leaders hope to bring a revised war supplemental spending bill to the House floor by late Thursday evening or Friday, according to Democratic aides. Leadership’s goal is to send President Bush a bill by Memorial Day.

No progress on a compromise bill has been made since Thursday, when Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, proposed giving President Bush half the money now and the rest later, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Obey briefed congressional leaders in Pelosi’s office. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), House Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman John Larson (D-Conn.), Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), and Progressive Caucus chairwomen Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) and Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) as well as a dozen other lawmakers attended the meeting, sources who were present said.

Howie P.S.: Greg Sargent provides the answer to his question, "Why Are Moderate Senate Dems Reluctant To Back Short-Term Iraq War Funding Option?"