NEW : The roughly $ 555 billion budget measure passed 76-17 . After months of stalemate , the Senate late Tuesday passed a huge government spending bill that includes billions of dollars requested by President Bush to continue the war in Iraq . Iraqis failed to tie war funding to plan to withdraw Iraq troops from Iraq . Robert Byrd has nearly 9,000 earmarks worth roughly $ 555 billion , watchdog group says . Measure now goes back to watchdog group for approval in its revised form .
NEW : The roughly $ 555 billion budget measure passed 76-17 . Iraqis failed to tie war funding to plan to withdraw Iraq troops from Iraq . Robert Byrd has nearly 9,000 earmarks worth roughly $ 555 billion , watchdog group says . Measure now goes back to watchdog group for approval in its revised form .