WASHINGTON — Seeking to end the partisan standoff over funding the war in Iraq, politically moderate senators from both parties pressed their efforts Thursday to find a compromise that could put new requirements on the Iraqi government without holding up money for U.S. troops.
At least seven GOP lawmakers are involved in the talks, which come as congressional Republicans are increasingly looking to distance themselves from President Bush's unpopular management of the war.
At the same time, Bush signaled a new willingness to compromise with Congress over the terms of a war funding bill, saying he would accept benchmarks for the Iraqi government as part of an agreement.
He had previously rejected any conditions in the funding bill.
The negotiations were unfolding as many congressional Democrats continued to demand a more immediate end to the war.
In the House, 171 lawmakers voted for a bill Thursday that would have required the president to begin withdrawing troops in three months and complete the withdrawal in nine months.
But 59 Democrats, including Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), joined 196 Republicans to defeat it.
House Democrats succeeded Thursday in passing an emergency war spending bill that authorizes $43 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through July.
The bill would make future funding contingent on progress reports indicating that the Iraqi government is reaching political reconciliation among the country's sectarian blocs.
The 221-205 vote was largely along party lines.
But Bush -- who last month vetoed a Democratic spending bill that would have compelled him to withdraw troops -- has indicated he will also veto any measure that parcels out war funding in installments.
"There's a lot of uncertainty in funding when it comes to two-month cycles. So we reject that idea," he said at the Pentagon after a briefing with the brass. "I'll veto the bill if it's this haphazard piecemeal funding."
With limited Democratic support in the Senate, it appears unlikely the House proposal will make much headway.
Instead, as congressional Democrats race to send a bill to the president by Memorial Day, the focus has turned to Senate efforts to involve moderate Republicans.
"We need 11 Republican senators," said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), calculating that would give Democrats the 60 votes needed to overcome a GOP filibuster. "With 11 Republican senators, we can change this war."
