House Democrats, persisting on Iraq, pass troop-rest bill

House Democrats passed a measure Thursday to mandate more rest at home for troops serving in Iraq, taking another swipe at President Bush’s management of the war on the eve of Congress’ summer recess.

The legislation -- which passed 229 to 194, with six Republicans joining virtually all of the chamber’s Democrats to support it -- stands little chance of becoming law.

A similar proposal sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) was blocked by Senate Republicans last month. And the White House threatened Thursday to veto the House measure.

But as lawmakers prepare to break until after Labor Day and meet with constituents, the House’s action underscored the Democratic effort to maintain pressure on Republicans backing Bush’s Iraq policy.

Throughout much of the year, Democratic leaders have promoted measures to start withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

Two weeks ago, Senate Democrats spotlighted their effort with a rare all-night session, cutting debate short when Republicans blocked a withdrawal measure. The Senate has put off further votes on the war until Congress reconvenes in September. House Democratic leaders this week also decided to postpone votes on a troop withdrawal.

On Sept. 15, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq are to deliver a progress report on the troop buildup Bush began early this year.

In addition to reconsidering withdrawal timelines this fall, the Senate may also debate a proposal announced Thursday by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), who is seeking her party’s presidential nomination. Clinton’s plan would require the Defense Department to regularly brief lawmakers on plans to redeploy troops from Iraq.

The measure is similar to a number of other proposals being pushed by lawmakers from both parties.

Congressional Democrats continue to cast themselves as the champions of overstressed military members, many of whom have served multiple tours of duty overseas since the Iraq war began in March 2003.

The House proposal approved Thursday, sponsored by Rep. Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Alamo), would prevent active-duty troops from serving another tour in Iraq until they had been stationed at home for the same length of time they served in the war zone. Reserve and National Guard members would have to rest for triple the duration of their war deployment.

The proposal would allow the president to waive the requirements if he certified to Congress that the troops were needed “to meet a threat to the national security interests” of the country.

“If we are honest about wanting to support our troops, there is no better place to start than to correct our troop rotation policy,” said Tauscher, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, during debate on the measure.

“Our deployed men and women are being taken away from their families in a revolving door of service. And we are damaging the readiness of our armed forces to defend against future attacks.”

Like its Senate counterpart, the proposal attracted a bit more Republican support than Democratic measures that set timelines for withdrawing troops. But the GOP remained largely unified in opposing Tauscher’s measure, calling it a backhanded attempt to force a withdrawal from Iraq.

House Republicans also repeatedly criticized Democrats as trying to tie the hands of the military.

“We are fighting a war in Iraq which requires innovation, flexibility and experience,” said Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon), a former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and a presidential contender.

Hunter, who fought in Vietnam and whose son is an Iraq veteran, said the measure would “put a straitjacket on our ability to deploy troops.”

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noam.levey@latimes.com