DoD Bill Also Could Be Stalled

Another bill that might not see resolution until after the elections, officials say, is the fiscal 2005 Defense Department authorization bill, which is now in a House-Senate conference after a prolonged debate in the Senate. That bill contains numerous controversial provisions, such as language in the House version, but not the Senate version, to delay by two years the round of base closings currently set for approval next year; the White House opposes any delay and has threatened to veto any measure tinkering with the process. Base closings are highly controversial in some House districts, and if the House concedes to letting the closings go ahead, many members would prefer that action to occur after the elections.