National Security Legislative Wrap-Up

Last week, the Senate completed work on the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Authorization bill. The House and Senate hope to come to an agreement on the bill before recessing, perhaps by the end of the week. Congress is also hoping to pass a package of three appropriations bills -- Defense, Homeland Security and Military Construction-Veterans' Administration -- by the end of the week. In the meantime, the Bush Administration is putting heavy pressure on Congress to attach the latest version of the U.S.-India nuclear deal to the Continuing Resolution -- a bill to provide temporary funding early in a fiscal year when Congress has not completed funding on appropriations bills.

KEY 2008 NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS

FISCAL YEAR 2009 DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL

Congressional leaders hope to pass a package of three appropriations bills -- Defense, Homeland Security and Military Construction-Veterans' Administration -- before recessing at the end of this week.

FISCAL YEAR 2009 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

On September 18, the Senate approved the bill by a vote of 88 - 8. It did so only after negotiating a “managers’ package” of about 100 amendments that died because it required unanimous consent to be added to the bill. As some Republicans objected to about $5 billion in earmarks in the report accompanying the bill, the Senate approved the measure for the most part as reported out of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

The House and Senate hope to come to an agreement on a common bill before recessing, perhaps by the end of the week.

U.S. INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL

On September 10, the Bush Administration submitted the latest version of the U.S.-India nuclear deal, a so-called "123" agreement, to Congress. The Administration is pressuring Congress to approve the agreement before finishing its work for the year. It may be attached to the Continuing Resolution -- a bill to provide temporary funding early in a fiscal year when Congress has not completed funding on appropriations bills.

SANCTIONS ON IRAN

Sens. Dodd and Shelby tried to get the Iran sanctions measure attached to the Fiscal Year 2009 Defense Authorization Bill, but the measure was included in a "managers' amendment" of about 100 amendments that never received unanimous consent to be included in the bill.