The House passed the $124.3 billion bill to continue war operations in Iraq and Afghanistan on a 218-212 vote with all but 14 Democrats supporting it and all but two Republicans in opposition.

Abercrombie, a subcommittee chairman on the House Armed Services Committee, said he has pushed legislation since 2005 to force a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

"Of course, we couldn't even get a hearing," he said. "Sad to say, it took much more killing and wounding and collapse of whatever is left of the Bush policies in Iraq to get to the stage where we are with this (bill)."

The bill establishes a series of political and military benchmarks that Iraqis would have to meet.

If President Bush cannot certify those benchmarks have been met, the bill would require U.S. troops to be pulled out of Iraq by the end of the year. If the benchmarks are met, the bill requires Bush to begin withdrawing forces by March 1, 2008, finishing by the end of August 2008.

Hirono said up to now, Congress has rubber-stamped Bush's actions in the war and after four years, there is nothing but more violence and instability.

"This must stop," Hirono said. "Now, for the first time, we have a firm timetable and a clear deadline for redeployment."

There are also billions more for veterans' healthcare, military base realignments and closures, Gulf Coast rebuilding, pandemic flu preparedness and the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

It also calls for raising the federal minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 over two years.

The Senate will consider a different plan next week with nonbinding language calling for a withdrawal of most, but not all, troops from Iraq by March 31, 2008. It also directs the Defense Department to continue to train and equip Iraqi security forces.

The $121.6 billion Senate spending bill includes funding for many of the same programs in the House bill but does have an increase in the minimum wage.

On Thursday, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, chairman of the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee, said the bill's language states that U.S. troops should not be caught in the middle of a civil war.

"And, more regrettably, that is the situation that we find ourselves in," said Inouye, who was awarded a Medal of Honor for his combat actions in World War II. "We need a change in plans. This war has dragged on too long, longer than our involvement in World War II."

Inouye said "staying the course" in Iraq isn't working and he was not convinced it ever will.