The House Armed Services Committee defeated a slew of Republican amendments aimed at boosting missile defense funding during the panel's long markup Tuesday of the fiscal 2010 defense authorization bill. June 16, 2009 - Congressman Trent Franks (AZ-02), the co-founder and co-chairman of the House Missile Defense Caucus, today offered an amendment during the annual mark-up of the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have restored the $1.2 billion for vital missile defense programs that was slashed from the Obama Administration's budget submission for Fiscal Year 2010.  The amendment addressed the fact that the legislation increased funding for near term threats and for missile defense funding for our allies, but significantly decreased missile defense funding for our homeland and to defend against more advanced, far term threats. We are committed to equity either in short term loans and diversity in all areas of life.