Highlights of proposed Iraq war funding bill

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House could vote as early as Thursday on a $195 billion Democratic bill to fund military and diplomatic operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next spring. Lawmakers will cast separate votes on three components: war funding, Iraq war policy restrictions, and unrelated domestic add-ons.

The proposed spending includes:

-$163 billion to pay for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the rest of this year and several months into 2009, when the new president will take over responsibility for the two wars.

-Extending unemployment benefits for workers whose benefits have run out by up to 13 weeks nationwide and an additional 13 weeks in states with unemployment rates of 6 percent or greater, including Michigan, Alaska and California. Cost: $11.1 billion over 10 years.

-Greatly expanding education for active-duty members of the armed forces since Sept. 11, 2001. Under a formula related to years of service, the measure aims to provide the equivalent of a four-year education at a state university. Cost: $720 million over 2008-2009, but $52 billion if extended for a full decade.

-Requiring the Pentagon to start withdrawing troops from Iraq within 30 days, with a goal of completing withdrawal of combat troops by December 2009.

-Requiring that U.S. reconstruction aid to Iraq be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Iraqi government.

-Blocking new Bush administration regulations that would cut federal spending on Medicaid health care for the poor and disabled by $13 billion over the next five years.

-$5.8 billion to strengthen New Orleans levees, as requested by the administration.

-$4.6 billion for military construction projects, $2.2 billion over Bush's request, including $210 million for child-care centers and $956 million to build military hospitals.

-$1.9 billion, $745 million more than requested by Bush, for international food aid, development assistance and disaster assistance.