National Security Legislative Wrap-Up

Congress returns to business today, and the Senate has another vote scheduled to bring up the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Authorization bill. Republicans have been blocking the bill because of their demand for a prior vote on oil drilling. With only three weeks of session scheduled for September, it is still less-than-certain that the authorization bill will be completed this year. Also scheduled this week is the full House Appropriations Committee mark-up of the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Appropriations bill, a bill written in subcommittee before the recess. This appropriations bill is expected to be completed before Congress ends the session in a few weeks.

KEY 2008 NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS

FISCAL YEAR 2009 DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL

On September 9, the full House Appropriations Committee will consider the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill. Senate action on the bill has not yet been scheduled. The measure may become the vehicle for the Fiscal Year 2009 Continuing Resolution, a bill to provide temporary funding early in a fiscal year when Congress has not completed funding on appropriations bills.

RUSSIA "123" NUCLEAR AGREEMENT

The agreement is dead for the year after the conflict between Russia and Georgia. The Bush Administration is expected to formally withdraw the measure from Congress, although it could be reconsidered next year.

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 this month -- 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.