Porter joins Dems in supporting beefed-up GI Bill

By Lisa Mascaro

Thursday, May 15, 2008 | 6:30 p.m.

WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Jon Porter voted Thursday for a beefed-up GI Bill for returning Iraq and Afghanistan vets, distancing himself from both his party and the Bush administration, which oppose the bill.

Porter was among 32 Republicans who crossed over to join Demcorats, including Nevada's Rep. Shelley Berkley, in approving the amendment that was part of an Iraq war spending package.

House Republicans oppose the "milionaire's tax," a half-percentage surtax on individuals making $500,000 or couples earning $1 million, to pay for enhanced education benefits for veterans. The Pentagon has warned that enhanced benefits could harm troop retention. The amendment also included a short-term extension of unemployment benefits to help prevent further economic downturn.

Republican Rep. Dean Heller voted against it.

House Republicans took a strategic gamble on the Iraq war debate on Thursday.

To protest Democrats' strategy of linking war funding with domestic spending and a troop withdrawal plan, more than 130 Republicans cast protest votes that helped kill the troop funding provision.

By refusing to vote for war funding and instead voting "present," Republican denied Democrats the majority needed to pass the war funding provision. Republicans then blamed Democrats for denying troops funds needed in wartime.

Porter was having none of it, nor was Heller, and both declined to join their party in the protest vote. They both joined Berkley in voting to send troops the funds.

Only Berkley voted for the provision to withdraw troops.

The package, without the troop funding provision, now goes to the Senate.