WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (UPI) -- U.S. senators will push ahead this week with several measures opposing President Bush's plans to increase American troop levels in Iraq.
A non-binding, bipartisan "sense of the Senate" resolution will be marked up by the Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday, one of its authors said Sunday, adding other, constitutionally more aggressive measures, might be considered as well.
Committee member Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., told CBS TV's "Face the Nation" he expected "a vote or a number of votes on Wednesday" as the measure he co-sponsored with Chairman Joseph Biden, D-Del., and Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Mich., was considered by Biden's committee.
"There will be amendments. There may be another resolution offered in its place," he said. "We need to have that debate. There will be more resolutions, there will be other resolutions. I don't care whose resolution passes."
Republicans John Warner of Virginia and Susan Collins of Maine -- supported by conservative Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska -- have written an alternative measure they will unveil Monday. Congressional Quarterly reported Friday that it would "call on Bush to keep U.S. forces out of any sectarian fighting in Iraq."
Democratic senators, including 2008 Democratic presidential hopefuls Hilary Clinton of New York, Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and Barack Obama of Illinois, have mooted or introduced legislation capping the number of U.S. troops deployed in Iraq.
While constitutional scholars generally agree that Congress has a great deal of authority to limit war spending, Democrats seem to be shying away from exercising the power of the purse.
Experts are more divided on Congress' other powers in respect of waging war.
Senate Democrats believe they can get a dozen or so Republicans to support the right resolution on Iraq, and their leader Harry Reid of Nevada, has said he will ensure a vote on the issue.
