Last picture show: Senate finishes Defense Authorization
Dec 02, 2011
Yesterday, the Senate voted 93-7 to approve the bill. Senate and House conferees will meet this month in conference to reconcile differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill.
The seven “no” votes were cast by three Republicans, three Democrats and one independent: Coburn (R-OK), Paul (R-KY), Lee (R-UT), Harkin (D-IA), Merkley (D-OR), Wyden (D-OR) and Sanders (I-VT).
The bill contains $527 billion for the basic Pentagon budget, $117 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $18 billion for Department of Energy, for a total of about $662 billion. The total authorization is $27 billion less than the President’s request and $43 billion less than enacted in Fiscal Year 2011.
By unanimous consent, the Senate adopted a package of 11 “non-controversial” amendments. It also adopted other amendments by voice vote. The Senate rejected two amendments offered by Sen. Feinstein (D-CA) to alter the controversial provisions on detainees in the bill, but later approved a compromise amendment offered by Sen. Feinstein by vote of 99-1 that would leave it to the Supreme Court to make the final decision on the constitutionality of holding American citizens in military custody. It is unclear if this compromise language will be enough to prevent the White House from vetoing the final version of the bill.
12 Heavily Armed Gunslingers Standing in a Pool of Gasoline
Aug 03, 2011
The deed is done. The debt ceiling deal has been signed into law.
Next up: a super duper commission of 12 Members of Congress, evenly divided between Senate and House and Democrats and Republicans.
And each is going to be heavily armed in a very dangerous territory.
Either the Terrible Twelve – or is it the Terrific Twelve -- come to an agreement on $1.2 - $1.5 trillion (or more) in deficit reductions or else.
Or else, an automatic reduction, called sequestration in budget parlance, of $1.2 trillion goes into effect, cutting equally domestic programs and the Pentagon.
Republicans have been unanimous that “No New Taxes” be included in the agreement just approved or in the next round of negotiations.
Democrats are telling Republicans, you may have won the last round on taxes, but not the next round.
Key amendments to Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Appropriations Bill
Jul 08, 2011
(with links to actual votes)
New nuclear bomber: Offered by Welch (D-VT)-Paul (R-TX)-Woolsey (D-CA) to eliminate $297 million in funding for a new nuclear weapons bomber.
Defeated 98-322
Afghanistan war: Offered by Lee (D-CA), Nadler; Woolsey; Olver; Stark; Jesse Jackson, Jr.; Honda; Conyers; Grijalva; Paul; and Amash to cut $33 billion in order to end the funding for combat operations in Afghanistan but provide funds to bring our troops home in a safe and orderly manner.
Defeated 97-322
Afghanistan war: Offered by Garamendi (D-CA): To cut $20.9 billion to wind down the war in a responsible way over the next 18 months so that at the end of the 18 months-- December 31, 2012--that there would be no more than 25,000 troops in Afghanistan.
Defeated 133-295
Pakistan reimbursement: Offered by Poe (R-TX): To cut $1 billion from the reimbursement account that the United States pays for the war on terror to reimburse Pakistan and other countries.
Defeated 131-297
In praise of the House Republican leadership
Jul 06, 2011
I know, I know, it is man bites dog.
I certainly have been critical of the House Republican leadership and their domination by retrograde tea partiers.
Yet the leadership, Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor and the rest (take a deep breath) deserve praise for fulfilling a key promise.
That is, liberalizing (if they don’t choke on that word) the House floor procedures.
Today, the House of Representatives takes up amendments to the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Appropriations Bill.
Under an open rule.
Continuing Resolution in the House: Echoes of Lord of the Flies
Feb 19, 2011
House consideration of the Fiscal Year 2011 Continuing Resolution echoed the famous novel Lord of the Flies authored by William Golding. The book is about a group of British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island without adult supervision who try to govern themselves, with disastrous results.
Around 4:30 AM Saturday morning, the House concluded its marathon, free-wheeling four days of consideration of the Continuing Resolution. The bill passed on an almost party-line vote of 235 – 189, with all Democrats voting against and all but three Republicans voting for.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) gave almost free rein to his flock to offer any amendments on a bill funding the federal government. Republicans then used the measure to target as many New Deal, Great Society and Obama Administration policies as they could. The only reason they could not move against Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid is that these entitlement programs are not funded in the bill.
The major focus in the bill and amendments was on federal government programs in the health, environment, regulatory reform areas and more – with special crosshairs on defunding implementation of the health care reform bill adopted last year.
There was a long debate on an amendment eventually adopted to cut federal funding for Planned Parenthood. The Environmental Protection Agency would be prohibited from regulating greenhouse gases. the Federal Communications Commission would be barred from initiating net neutrality regulations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) would be blocked from fighting gun trafficking to Mexico.
Feb. 18 update: Defense/Nuclear/Foreign Policy Amendments to Continuing Resolution in the House
Feb 18, 2011
Last evening, the House had an “early” night, finishing at 1:10 AM, two hours earlier than the previous evening. It resumes meeting at 9:00 AM today. First votes are not likely before 11:00 AM (perhaps some Members wanted to sleep in this morning?).
Much of the debate last evening was consumed by Republicans going after pet targets such as Planned Parenthood and Environmental Protection Agency efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions.
The House hopes to complete action today, but there are about 130 many amendments that could be offered. Under a unanimous consent agreement, each amendment can be debated for no more than 10 minutes – with a few exceptions.
Yesterday, amendments to cut funding for the United States Institute for Peace and the East-West Center were successful, while a Woolsey (D-CA) amendment to kill the V-22 and the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle went down in flames, 91 – 339 (see below).
In the frenzy of cutting, somewhat surprisingly, a Heller amendment to cut several multilateral assistance accounts by $211 million, including cutting International Organizations and Programs by $45 million, was defeated 190 – 241. Almost all Democrats plus 59 Republicans opposed the amendment.
Among amendments pending for votes today are three national security-related amendments offered yesterday: an Afghanistan war defunding amendment, a second one barring Pentagon sponsorship of NASCAR race cars and a third blocking aid to Chad.
Feb. 17 update - Defense/Nuclear/Foreign Policy Amendments to Continuing Resolution in the House
Feb 17, 2011
Defense/Nuclear/Foreign Policy Amendments
to Continuing Resolution in the House
The End of the Line
Today was scheduled to be the last day of House consideration of the Fiscal Year Continuing Resolution. Last evening, the House continued its frenetic action, considering the bill until 3:43 AM (no, while I am a congressional wonk, I am not a fanatic and turned in long before then) and resumes session at 9:00 AM today, with first votes as early as 9:45 AM.
However, the House is not expected to complete action by its self-imposed deadline of 3:00 PM today. Instead, it may go late into the evening, or even Friday.
Now that the House has completed reading of the bill, there are many amendments still to be offered “at the end of the bill.”
Debate was completed on 13 amendments for which recorded votes were demanded. These votes will probably be held this morning. Three amendments listed under “Amendments debated but not voted on” appear to be national security-related.
Feb. 16 update - Defense/Nuclear/Foreign Policy Amendments to Continuing Resolution in the House
Feb 16, 2011
The House voted down five national security-related amendments yesterday, four by recorded vote, and debated three more amendments that will be voted upon at some point today.
The House completed action at 1:13 AM (no, I was not watching) and resumes session at 10 AM today with debate on the Continuing Resolution to begin at Noon.
There are now a total of 583 amendments submitted. However, yesterday the debate on amendments proceeded to p.263 of the bill, meaning that the Pentagon and Department of Energy sections have been completed (amendments before that point are no longer eligible to be offered). A number of amendments were submitted yesterday that appear to be ineligible for consideration because they refer to pages of the bill already passed.
Defense/Nuclear/Foreign Policy Amendments to Continuing Resolution in the House
Feb 15, 2011
Something for spending and policy wonks: first list of national security amendments to Continuing Resolution on the House floor between February 15-17, 2011.
There are amendments on such diverse topics as defense, Iraq and Afghanistan wars, United Nations, Russia, missile defense, Yucca Mountain, weapons programs and military bands.
The list follows:
Offered By: Mr. Cravaack (cuts all funds for U.S. Institute for Peace)
AMENDMENT NO. 1: Page 321, line 7, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $42,676,000)''.
Page 359, line 20, after the dollar amount, insert ``(increased by $42,676,000)''.
Offered By: Mr. Rooney (Cutting second F-35 engine amendment)
AMENDMENT NO. 2: Page 33, line 16, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $225,000,000)''.
Page 34, line 6, after the dollar amount, insert ``(reduced by $225,000,000)''.
Page 359, line 6, after the dollar amount
CLW Sends Letter on Missile Defense to House Armed Services Committee
Jun 19, 2009
On June 2, 2009, Representative Ike Skelton introduced H.R.2647, or the FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. This bill was approved by the House Armed Services Committee on June 17, 2009.
Thankfully the Democratic members on the Committee were able to thwart Republican efforts to attach amendments to the bill for funding national missile defense programs. The Council for a Livable World played an active part in rebuffing Republicans by sending a letter on June 15th to members of the Armed Services Committee on behalf of national security non-profit community.
The Obama administration under the leadership of Secretary Gates has undertaken a fundamental realignment of the US military. A critical component of the shift in defense policy is to eliminate costly, unproven defense systems of which missile defense is top of the list. Through its rejection of missile defense funding amendments, the House has shown its support of the President's initiative for creating a military that can better meet the challenges of the 21st Century.
