Congress says Bush is misleading public

WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- The Congressional Research Service released a report Friday saying President Bush is misleading the public on war costs by saying funds are insufficient.

"This study confirms that the president is once again attempting to mislead the public and create an artificial atmosphere of anxiety. He is using scare tactics to defeat bipartisan legislation that would change the course in Iraq. After waiting months for this administration to send us its funding requests, both houses of Congress worked quickly to pass the emergency supplemental bill for our troops," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

In a careful review of U.S. Army data and the Defense Department's existing legal authorities, non-partisan budget experts at CRS informed Congress the Army could maintain its wartime operations well into July 2007 with funds already provided.

"Instead of holding press events to score political points, I call upon the president to tone down his rhetoric, stop the veto threats of a bill he has not yet seen, and sit down with the congressional leadership to discuss how our two co-equal branches of government can get an emergency spending bill passed that funds our troops and makes America more secure," said Reid.