Defense Bill Yanked From Senate Floor

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn, failed to get a successful cloture vote (to close off debate) on the fiscal 2006 National Defense Authorization Act, so on July 27 he withdrew the bill from further consideration until after Labor Day. Senate leaders had put off debate on the bill until just before the August recess in hopes that senators eager to go home would limit amendments. Nevertheless, by July 27 the bill had collected almost 300 proposed amendments. The withdrawal leaves dozens of key issues hanging. For example one amendment would eliminate the offset of Dependency and Indemnity Compensation by Survivor Benefit Plan payments. Another would accelerate the effective date of 30-year paid-up SBP from Oct. 1, 2008, to Oct. 1, 2005. And another would institute immediate concurrent receipt for disabled retirees rated as Individually Unemployable by the Department of Veterans Affairs.