House Appropriations cancels war supplemental markup

The mark-up of an $83 billion measure for war spending and education initiatives was canceled Thursday afternoon as the House attempts to complete its agenda. 

House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) didn't want to "force members to focus on the supplemental when there is so much left on the floor," to finish, a committee aide told The Hill. 

The bill will be marked up at some point after lawmakers return from a weeklong Memorial Day recess. 

House Appropriations ranking member Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) said he was disappointed that the meeting was canceled despite his opposition to many of the bill's provisions. Republicans are planning to offer more than 30 amendments to "reduce the unnecessary spending in the bill and improve the final product," Lewis said. 

"We were anxious to start the process in order to get much-needed funding to our troops on the ground and into recovery efforts in Haiti and along the Gulf Coast," Lewis said in a release. "Republicans were prepared to stay all night to get this vital bill through committee." 

The Senate voted to end debate on their version of their $58.8 billion emergency spending bill earlier today, providing for 30 more hours of debate on the bill. 

The House and Senate versions of the measure differ by nearly $12 billion, with the Senate's bill focused on funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and disaster aid here and in Haiti. The House's proposal includes $70 billion in discretionary spending, including $23 billion for education initiatives in addition to funding to beef up personnel along the U.S.-Mexico border.