National Security Legislative Wrap-Up

Last week, the House finally voted to approve a new version of the Supplemental Appropriations Bill to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Senate is expected to consider the bill this week before the 4th of July recess begins on Friday. The House also approved a new wiretapping bill that the Senate is expected to consider this week. The House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee marked up its annual funding bill that includes nuclear weapons work and non-proliferation funding; the full Appropriations Committee is expected to consider the bill this week. The Senate Finance Committee approved new sanctions on Iran.

KEY 2008 NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS

FISCAL YEAR 2009 ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL

On June 17, the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee marked up or wrote its annual bill that approves $33.3 billion for Fiscal Year 2009. It cut all funds for the Reliable Replacement Warhead and increased nuclear non-proliferation funding by $283 million. The Subcommittee also eliminated all $301.5 million for the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

The full House Appropriations Committee mark-up is scheduled for June 25.

SANCTIONS ON IRAN/RUSSIA "123" NUCLEAR AGREEMENT

On June 18, the Senate Finance Committee voted 19 - 2 to approve a bill to impose new sanctions on Iran. The measure also includes language to block a U.S-Russia nuclear agreement (a "123" agreement) because of Moscow’s provision of nuclear fuel and conventional weapons to Iran. On May 13, the Bush administration submitted the nuclear deal to Congress, which would allow U.S. nuclear companies access to the Russian market and the transfer of nuclear materials between the two countries. Congress has 90 days of “continuous session” to block the deal An effort by Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) to strip out the language blocking the Russia agreement failed, 4-15.

FISCAL YEAR 2008 SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION BILL

On June 19, the House approved a new version of the Supplemental bill. It voted 269 - 155 for $161.8 billion in war funding. The House had a separate vote on the portion of the bill that included expanded GI Bill education benefits for returning veterans, extended unemployment benefits for an additional 13 weeks, a moratorium on six Medicaid provisions, emergency funding for flood victims in the Middle West, Hurricane Katrina relief in Louisiana and $10.1 billion for the international affairs budget. The second vote was 416 - 12.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration this week.

ON THE HORIZON: NATIONAL SECURITY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES

FISCAL YEAR 2009 STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL

The House Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee has scheduled its mark-up or writing of this bill for July 16. The full House Appropriations Committee mark-up is scheduled for July 23.