National Security Legislative Wrap-up

This will probably be Congress' last week in session. The House will consider today the Omnibus Appropriations bill, a bill that covers the remaining 11 appropriation bills yet to be passed by Congress. The measure will include both the Energy and Water and Foreign Operations appropriations bills. The bill will then go to the Senate. Last week, Congress completed action on the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization Conference Report (H.R. 1585).

ACTION IN THE LAST WEEK

Last week, both houses of Congress approved the conference report on the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Authorization bill, H.R. 1585. The House vote was 370 - 49 on December 12; the Senate vote was 90 - 3 on December 14. The $507 billion bill provided $66 million for the Reliable Replacement Warhead, barred funding for converting Trident nuclear submarines to carry conventional warheads, cut $85 million for construction and deployment at the Europe-based missile defense and established a 12-person commission to study U.S. nuclear weapons policy.

The Omnibus Appropriations bill, containing the 11 appropriations bills not yet passed by Congress, will eventually include about $70 million to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – without many or any restrictions or measures to requiring bringing home American troops from Iraq.

The Fiscal Year 2008 Energy and Water Appropriations bill has been folded into a larger Omnibus Appropriations bill covering 11 appropriations bills not yet enacted. The Omnibus Appropriations Bill should be considered this week. The bill apparently approves zero funds for the Reliable Replacement Warhead, $179 million for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership ($2! 16 below the President's request) and increases funding for non-proliferation programs by $505 million.

The Fiscal Year 2008 State, Foreign Appropriations bill has been folded into a larger Omnibus Appropriations bill covering 11 appropriations bills not yet enacted.

About a quarter of the Fiscal Year Supplemental Appropriations bill to pay for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars -- which now totals about $196 billion -- was considered the week of November 12. The bill was called a "bridge," in that it would provide temporary funding for current operations until the full amount can be considered next year. The measure would have required some U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq to begin 30 days after the bill is enacted, and it set a goal -- but not a requirement -- that most troops be brought home by December 15, 2008. In addition to these measures, the bill required more time at home between tours of duty in Iraq, banned waterboarding and other torture techniques, and prohibited the establishment of permanent bases in Iraq.

The House approved the bill by a 218 - 203 vote. The Senate refused to bring up the bill; it voted 53 - 45 in favor of beginning debate, but 60 votes were required and the bill died. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tried to bring up a $70 billion bill to pay for the wars that had no restrictions, but his measure died 45 - 53. The Senate could reconsider the measure this week or next.