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Updated at 5:31 p.m., Thursday, May 24, 2007

Hawai'i delegation splits in Iraq war vote

Associated Press

Hawai'i's two U.S. representatives voted today against an Iraq war spending bill before the Islands' two U.S. senators gave it their support.

Messages seeking comment from U.S. Sens. Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel Akaka weren't immediately returned after the Senate measure was approved 80-14.

Inouye and Akaka were among 37 Democrats voting for passage.

U.S. Reps. Neil Abercrombie and Mazie Hirono were on the losing side as they joined most of their Democratic colleagues in opposing the bill that passed the House 280-142.

Congress approved the measure after being "bullied" by President Bush, Abercrombie said in a news release issued by his Washington office.

"We've given him a blank check for more war with no accountability of any kind," he said.

"As hard as I've worked to include additional funding for improved armored vehicles to save American lives, I had to oppose the bill," he said.

"I cannot vote to allow this president to send one more American soldier or marine into combat without the equipment and training they're supposed to have," Abercrombie said.

Unlike an earlier bill vetoed by Bush, the new measure does not contain timelines for troop redeployment and allows the president "to continue his failed policies in Iraq," Hirono's office said.

However, the measure does require Bush to submit two Iraq war reports to Congress, one in July and one in September, and gives the House an opportunity in September to vote on a measure requiring troop withdrawal from Iraq and another to de-authorize the war, her office said.

"With the prospect of these votes in September, the fight to bring an end to this war is far from over," Hirono said.