National Security Legislative Wrap-Up

Congress has recessed for the summer and the two political conventions. It next returns to business on September 8. Last week, the House Defense Appropriations Committee completed its mark-up, or writing, of the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Appropriations bill. The only details available at this time are listed in a committee press release. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion to bring up the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Authorization bill (already passed by the House), but was blocked by Republicans who insisted on a vote first on off-shore drilling for oil. On September 8, there is another vote scheduled on bringing up the Defense Authorization bill. With only three weeks of session scheduled for September, it is still less-than-certain that the authorization bill will ever be brought up.

KEY 2008 NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS

FISCAL YEAR 2009 DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL

On July 30, the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee marked up the bill. While details will remain scarce until the full Appropriations Committee considers the bill in September, the subcommittee approved $487.7 billion, $4 billion below the President's request and $28.4 billion above the Fiscal Year 2008 enacted level. There is no funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which is contained in the already approved Supplemental Appropriations Bill. The bill requires a report from the Secretary of Defense on his plans to close the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, prison.

FISCAL YEAR 2009 STATE, FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL

On July 16, the House approved the Fiscal Year 2009 State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs appropriations bill. On July 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the bill. Both bills provide $36.6 billion in funding and represent the largest component of the Fiscal Year 2009 International Affairs Budget. When combined with the proposed $1.3 billion in funding for the International Food Aid Programs (Agriculture Appropriations) and $300 million for the Global AIDS Fund (HHS-Labor Appropriations), total spending for the FY09 International Affairs Budget will be $38.2 billion. This spending level represents a $1.6 billion reduction from the Administration's request and a $4 billion increase or 11% increase over FY08 base spending levels.

FISCAL YEAR 2009 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

As the bill tends to take up to two weeks of Senate floor time, the measure has been put off until September -- and many never be considered by the Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid tried twice to bring up a motion to proceed to the bill, but the motion was blocked by Republicans insisting that the Senate vote first on drilling for off-shore oil. The 51 - 39 vote on July 31 on the motion to proceed was nine votes short of the required 60 votes.