National Security Legislative Wrap-up, July 23-27 2007

This week, the House will consider the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill. The focus will principally be upon the Iraq war, with several Iraq-related amendments and bills expected to be offered on the House floor. At the end of the week, Congress will recess for the month of August.

KEY NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS IN 2007

- DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL:

On July 25, the House Appropriations Committee approved its Fiscal Year 2008 bill totaling $459.3 billion, $39.7 billion more than enacted last year. $141.8 billion for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars will be considered in a separate bill, probably in September. The Committee cut $139 million of $310 million requested to start building missile defense sites in Europe, while approving the remaining$171 million for the continued development of an early warning radar. In all, the Committee approved $8.5 billion for missile defense programs, $298 million below the President's request.

- IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 9/11 COMMISSION:

The House-Senate conference report was filed on July 25. The report repeals the limitations on the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR, or Nunn-Lugar) program, creates a nonproliferation czar in the White House and establishes a bipartisan congressional commission on nonproliferation issues.

On July 26, the Senate approved the conference report 85 - 8. On July 27, the House approved the report 371 - 40.