Saturday, August 04, 2007

House Passes Defense Budget

The House passed the $459.6 billion defense appropriations bill, 395-13, that would add money for equipment for National Guard and Reserve, provide for 12,000 additional soldiers and Marines and award increases for defense health care and military housing and is one of the only spending bills President Bush hasn't threatened to veto though Democrats did make some changes to his requests. It does not include funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will be considered in another supplemental bill in September.

Rep. John Murtha's amendments to close Guantanamo Bay and require troops be fully trained and equipped before going to fight in Iraq were not considered, but will be later on when the Senate passes its version and it goes to conference or on the next war funding supplemental. This bill does however contain a provision barring the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq.

Both the House and the Senate are now on recess until after Labor Day.

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