They Voted For You: Iraq & Federal Spending

In the end, Sens. Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., joined the majority in passing a massive, $555 billion spending bill Tuesday.

But the final 76-17 vote followed a series of other roll calls that focused on a provision "to provide $70 billion for U.S. military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan," as The Associated Press reports.

The final vote on that provision was 70-25, with Rockefeller in the majority by Byrd voting "nay."

The Democratic leadership's approach to Iraq war funding had required at least 60 votes to proceed, but failed 48-46 with Byrd and Rockefeller both on the losing side.

Aided by as many as 21 Democrats and by Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., Senate Republicans turned back several other related measures:

• By 50-45, an amendment "to express the sense of Congress on the transition of the missions of United States Forces in Iraq to a more limited set of missions as specified by the President on September 13, 2007." Rockefeller and Byrd both supported the measure;

• By 24-71, an amendment "to provide for the safe redeployment of United States troops from Iraq." Rockefeller and Byrd both supported the measure.