The US Senate passed a 257.5-billion-dollar measure late Thursday to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and for education benefits for veterans of the ongoing conflicts, according to DPA. The Senate passed the measure 92-6 after weeks of tough negotiations with US President George W Bush, who opposed spending extra money beyond what is needed for the wars. The White House relented after the centre-left Democratic majority agreed to remove some domestic spending but kept the veterans' education package, which Bush had opposed. The identical legislation was already passed last week by the lower House of Representatives. Bush could sign the measure as early as next week.
