Senate Approves $612 Billion for Defense -- Last One Was $696 Billion

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. . . $503.8 billion in 2007


WASHINGTON -- Troops would get a pay raise in a defense bill that Congress sent President Bush on Saturday. Even before passage, lawmakers had backed away from an election-season showdown with the administration over Iraq.

Legislation approved by a voice vote in the Senate would increase pay by 3.9 percent, extend bonuses and provide money for family housing, tuition assistance and other programs.

The bill, which maps $612 billion in defense spending next year, shows how lawmakers would rather go home and campaign than wage a prolonged battle in Washington with Bush over Iraq policy.

In the end, House-Senate bargainers dropped several provisions he opposed. Eliminated was language barring private interrogators from U.S. military detention facilities and giving Congress a chance to block a security pact with Iraq.

The legislation also lacks a call for a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq -- something Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama long has called for and Republican nominee John McCain has opposed.

The bill envisions nearly $70 billion for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and requires more information on contractors with projects in Iraq. It also paves the way for Bush's plan to build an anti-missile system in Eastern Europe, a proposal strongly opposed by Russia.

The House approved the bill overwhelmingly on Wednesday. Bush is expected to sign the measure.

The measure is S. 3001 as amended.


http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7528686&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.3.1

[Phred42]

1. Here's a graph I did 6 months ago - Let's put that in Perspective

This is one definition of INSANITY... and Suicidal Behavior

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2. .

:banghead:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. Now, if the Pentagon would just loan the congress some of the money for the "baiilout"..

They already have their own "enforcers" to make sure they pay up on time.

[avaistheone1]

4. Best idea I have in heard in days.

The good thing is that since the Pentagon doesn't worry about paperwork or staying on budget - it should be pretty easy for them to loan the money to Congress.

[snappyturtle]

5. Instead of the nightly entertainment news programs this graph should

be put on screen for the entirety of the program so it sinks into the heads of the American people....especially the ill informed voters.....not us! ha! This year the defense budget should be spent on the bailout. Probably would do more for our defense than more killing machines.