Congress Breaks; Defense Bills Languish

Congress went on recess from Aug. 1 until Sept. 8 without passing either the Defense Authorization or Defense Appropriations bills. When lawmakers return, they will have less than one month to iron out key differences between the respective House and Senate measures before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. Military service organizations are telling their constituents that many senators and congressmen use the break to visit their home districts. Hometown forums, the organizations advise, offer great opportunities to press lawmakers on important issues for those in uniform. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee has approved the 2009 military construction/Veterans Affairs spending bill, which includes an $8.8 billion increase above 2008 levels.