House to vote Thursday on Afghan funds: Pelosi

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives will vote later on Thursday on President Barack Obama's request for $33 billion to help pay for 30,000 more troops in Afghanistan, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said.

Obama asked Congress for the money in February and the Senate has approved it. But the House has delayed voting for weeks amid growing unease among the Democratic majority about the Afghan war and concern about other spending needs in a time of budget scarcity.

Pentagon chief Robert Gates said recently the money should be approved by the July 4 national holiday to avoid the Pentagon having to juggle accounts and possibly lay off civilians. Pelosi has said that she hoped to get it done by then.

Some Democrats want to add domestic spending to the bill, but any changes from the Senate version would risk missing the July 4 deadline. Both chambers must approve the same version of legislation before it can be sent to the president for signing into law, and the Senate is not in session again until July 12.

Pelosi said she did not yet know what form the war funds legislation would take. She said the House Rules Committee would be deciding that shortly.

"Suffice to say, whatever form it's in, whatever actions we take, our men and women in uniform on the ground will not be lacking in what they need," she told reporters.

At the Pentagon, spokesman Bryan Whitman said, "The secretary has been very clear that he would like to see the budget supplemental passed by July 4th."

Liberal Democrats in the House "Out of Afghanistan" caucus held a news conference on Thursday to urge fellow lawmakers, including conservatives who want to reduce debt, to vote against the war funds.

"If you oppose deficit spending, debt dependency on China ... and are concerned about a debt threat to our national security, then oppose this supplemental war funding request," Representative John Conyers said.

(Editing by Xavier Briand)