National Security Legislative Wrap-up, October 29-November 2 2007

Action is expected to pick up this week on the national security front. The Defense Appropriations conference report is virtually completed, with final approval by the conference committee expected this week and floor action soon after. Last week, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) sent President Bush a letter signed by 30 Senators that called the Administration's recent statements on Iran "counterproductive" and stated "that no offensive military action would be justified against Iran without the express consent of Congress."

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 House and Senate versions of the bills.

The Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill has been virtually completed by a House-Senate conference committee working out differences between the two versions. The conferees are scheduled to meet formally this week, and then send the conference report to the full House and Senate for approval.

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, going instead 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.