House Approves Defense Spending Bill

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Disagreements over missile defense and progress in Iraq are among issues that remain to be resolved as the Senate works to finish a defense spending bill before it goes home for a weeklong recess.

More than 30 amendments to the massive Pentagon authorization bill were pending as the Senate planned to take up the legislation again Wednesday.

On Tuesday, senators rejected a proposal that would have taken money from President Bush's proposed missile defense budget for use on such tasks as securing "loose nukes" - nuclear bomb material around the world that could fall into the hands of terrorists - and policing America's ports and borders. The 56-44 vote defeated an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would have shifted $515 million from the $10.2 billion missile defense budget.

Meanwhile, the House on Tuesday approved a $417 billion defense spending bill that includes an initial $25 billion for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus billions of dollars for major weapons systems.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20040623/D83CIQ3G0.html

[tom_paine]

1. How many Trojan Horse Amendments are there of those 30?

Can anyone list them?

It would be good to know.

[whistle]

2. Oh $417 billion, gee that's not bad at all considering that Bush is ...

...stealing from the Social Security surplus funds to pay for the war in Iraq and Greenspam is covering for him by printing money to fund the deficits and debt ceiling. Hey, whatever happened to the $157 billion that congress approved for the Iraq/Afghanistan wars last year? We have just as many troops in theater now as we did then. That $417 billion will not cut it for this year. This is also after a major tax cut last week $354 billion giving corporations and wealthy taxpayers another windfall in tax benefits.

[Kali]

3. in that bill

is the provision to fine radio stations for "obscenities" up to $3 million per day - bye bye to any independants/community stations or at least any controversial programming. From washingtonpost.com:

Senate Approves Higher Indecency Fines

By Jesse J. Holland

In the latest effort to curb indecency over the airwaves, the Senate on
Tuesday overwhelmingly approved raising the maximum fines for broadcasters and
personalities who cross the line.

Under the measure passed by a 99-1 vote, the maximum fine for both
broadcasters and entertainers would increase to up to $275,000 per indecent
incident, up from $27,500 for license holders and $11,000 for personalities, for
a maximum fine of $3 million a day.

The House passed a similar bill calling for $500,000 fines for indecent
incidents, and differences between the two must be worked out.

The tenfold increase approved by the Senate was "a clear statement by the
Senate that they are deeply troubled by the growing indecency over the airways,"
said GOP Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, who sponsored the legislation.

The Senate moved the measure without debate as part of the massive defense
bill expected to be approved later this week. The only senator to vote against
the bill was Sen. John Breaux, D-La.

Federal law and FCC rules prohibit over-the-air radio and TV stations from
airing offensive material that refers to sexual and excretory functions between
6 a.m. and 10 p.m., when children may be tuned in. There are no such
restrictions for cable and satellite TV and satellite radio.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[Moderator]

6. Kali

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
copyrighted news source.
and provide a link
to the source.


Thank you.

DU Moderator

[Kali]

10. sorry

it was off a post from another board, I did list the original source, but didn't have a link:shrug:

[AG78]

4. When does it end?

This is why it doesn't matter who sits in that cushy seat in the White House.

Kerry voted for the fines for indecency. Why? Probably because of the fact that that wonderful little piece of legislation was thrown in with a military vote. What do the 2 things have in common? How do they do that? How does nobody stand up and stop that?

Even if Kerry gets in the damn White House, Congress will just send him more of this crap. They'll attach these things to military bills, and how could Kerry not sign it into law? If he did, the Right Wing Propaganda Machine will torch him.

It's over people. Head for the hills. Until the hills are privitized, then we'll have to go somewhere else. We've been heading down this road for a while, and now it's right here.

They can't take out $515 million for the search for loose nuclear weapons from $10.2 billion for a missle defense system? Really? Who's shooting missles at us?

See how it works is, we bomb other countries, they don't bomb us. They might use a plane or two, but not sure how a missle defense system would stop that.

More weapons. Who stops us from acquiring WMD?

A free speach issue, attached to a military bill. Game over.

[JustinF]

5. This is insane

That is close to half of WORLD military spending. So much for the god damn peace dividend (I expect Kerry to continue these insanely high levels of military spending once he's in office).

[newyawker99]

7. Hi JustinF!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. "Oh, you masters of war.."

"..and I'll stand by your grave to make sure that you're dead."

Bob Dylan

[Ezlivin]

9. They can never find the money...

...to give us a good national health care plan, but they damned sure find it easy to find $10.2 billion for an untested, unproven and unneeded missile defense.

Gee, it's almost as if our representatives don't worry about health care.