The Senate rejects two Democrat-sponsored amendments that would begin the process of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. Sen. John Kerry's proposal that all troops be pulled out by July 1, 2007, received only 13 votes. But a non-binding measure by Sen. Carl Levin that also called for a pullout -- without setting a firm date -- got 39 votes.

Despite widespread doubts that the measures would pass, the debate in the Senate was the most ferocious since the invasion of Baghdad three years ago. Since that time, 2,500 Americans have died in Iraq.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.