BLOOMINGTON - With the Iraq war weighing heavily, about two dozen residents kicked off their Memorial Day weekend by telling their senior U.S. senator what they think about the 4-year-old conflict.

U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., also discussed broader topics of military spending, veterans health care and illegal immigration Saturday during a roundtable discussion for veterans at Laborers' Local 362 headquarters in Bloomington.

But the veterans, family members of those currently serving, Normal Mayor Chris Koos and Durbin himself all seemed to have one major topic - the Iraq war - on their minds going into Memorial Day, a time to honor U.S. service members who have died while serving their country.

"Rumors out of the White House this morning are that the president next year wants to dramatically cut the number of American troops over there, and I hope he does," said Durbin, referring to reports the United States may shift efforts to police training and fighting al-Qaida.

"I don't think the Iraqis are going to stand up and do what they are supposed to do while they are leaning on us, and they have been doing that for a long time," he told the group.

Durbin said it is time for Iraq to govern itself and it is time to start bringing American troops home.

But the new Democratic Congress last week settled for a compromise funding bill signed by President Bush that does not include a timetable, just nonbinding benchmarks.

"This benchmark system is what the Iraqis promised to do, but the folks who wrote the bill on the other side of the aisle let the president waive these benchmarks," he said, referring to Republican lawmakers. "If the Iraqis fail to meet these benchmarks, then we keep going, and I don't like that part at all."

Others at the discussion had their own concerns about the war, in which at least 3,431 members of the U.S. military have died since the invasion in 2003.

"I have a son currently serving in Iraq, and in his phone call on Mother's Day he asked for us to send him Velcro to keep his flak jacket together," said Tom Cotton of Normal. "My question is, that with all the billions of dollars in defense spending, why does he have to have Velcro sent from home?"

Durbin also explained his support for funding American troops, despite his votes in opposition to the Iraq war.

"If you were my son and you were over there, I would want you to have everything that you need," Durbin said.

Meanwhile, Tami Wacker, regional long-term care ombudsman of the East Central Illinois Area Agency on Aging, told Durbin there are also "a considerable amount" of problems with the way the United States cares for its veterans.

Durbin said veterans should receive the best health care, whether through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or private hospitals.

"You went over and risked your lives to battle the enemy," he said. "You shouldn't have to come home and battle your government when it comes to basic health care. … This should be easy."