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 Home > News & Policies > November 2007

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
November 29, 2007

Just the Facts: 2007 War Funding by the Numbers
Congress Is Ignoring The Recommendations Of Our Military Commanders By Withholding Funding For Troops In The Field

     Fact sheet In Focus: Iraq
     Fact sheet In Focus: National Security

"We have nearly 200,000 troops in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and they are relying on this Congress to send them the funding they need to complete their mission.  We also have about 100,000 civilian workers at bases across the country who will be receiving furlough notices if Congress continues to delay action.  Before leaving for another holiday break, Congress should stop ducking the issue of funding our troops and send the President a clean bill he can sign  No matter how some leaders here in Washington, D.C. feel about the war, our troops deserve their full support."

–White House Press Secretary Dana Perino, 11/29/07
  • 296: Congress has had 296 days to consider the initial detailed war funding requests from the President based on the strategic recommendations of our military commanders. They have had 39 days to consider the President's additional funding request.


  • 70: Congress has taken 70 days of vacation since receiving the war funding request in February.


  • 1: While Congress delays in providing needed funding, the most funding the Department of Defense (DoD) can move under general transfer authority amounts to only a little over one week’s worth of war expenses.


  • 100,000: If Congress fails to pass a war funding bill before leaving town for the year, DoD will soon be required to begin giving layoff notices to about 100,000 civilian workers.


  • 55%: Terrorist attacks in Iraq are down 55 percent since the surge of operations began in June.


  • 60%: Civilian fatalities have decreased 60 percent in Iraq since June.


  • 40%: Iraqi Security Force casualties are down 40 percent since the surge of operations began in June.


  • 5,700: Guided by the principle of "return on success," the United States will bring 5,700 troops home by the end of the year as a result of progress made by the surge of operations.


  • 109: Congress delayed 109 days before sending the President a supplemental war funding bill for last fiscal year that he could sign into law. 

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