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U.S. troops in Iraq: What Democrats say "I was against (going to war). One of the reasons was because there was no exit strategy articulated. And still there has been no exit strategy articulated." Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., of Charlotte, who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus "I'm not for an explicit timetable, but I favor in principle the idea of bringing the troops home . . . But I do think we first need to get the Iraqi government on its feet." Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., of York, a top member of the House Armed Services Committee whose district includes...

State Rep. Ralph Norman, after being wooed for six months by top state and national Republicans, says he will decide by early next week whether to take on longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. John Spratt in 2006.

WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Lawmakers who want Iraq to repay the United States for its reconstruction voiced growing confidence on Thursday that the U.S. Congress will make part of the $87 billion bill for Iraq in the form of loans, defying President George W. Bush. Republican leaders in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives worked to stem a push among their own members to make Iraq use its future oil wealth to repay some or all of the $20.3 billion Bush has proposed to rebuild it. But a spokesman for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, said...