National Security Legislative Wrap-up, October 22-26 2007

Congress has been quiet on the national security front. Key work on national security issues continues to be done behind closed doors in House-Senate conference committees. In one new legislative development on Iran, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced Senate Resolution 356 to require explicit Congressional approval before any offensive military action against Iran.

ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK

The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills.

The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills.

The Fiscal Year 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill has passed the House and the Senate Appropriations Committee but may never get to the Senate floor, instead going directly to a House-Senate conference as part of a larger package of bills.

The Fiscal Year 2008 State, Foreign Appropriations bill is being considered by a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences between the two bills.

The Fiscal Year Supplemental Appropriations bill to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars -- which now totals about $190 billion -- is not likely to be considered until later this year or even early next year. Both Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-WV) and House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI) have promised to attach language to bring American troops home from Iraq.