U.S. Senate passes huge Pentagon budget
ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press October 3, 2007 at 8:24 PM EDT
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WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a huge $459-billion budget for the Pentagon Wednesday, after adding almost $4-billion to try to gain control over the U.S. border with Mexico.
The Pentagon spending bill, passed by voice vote, does not include President Bush's almost $190-billion request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill does, however, award the Pentagon a 10 per cent increase of $43-billion, much of which would be devoted to procuring new and expensive weapons systems.
Some $3-billion in emergency border security money was already included in a spending bill for the Homeland Security Department but was added to the Pentagon spending measure in a gambit by GOP leaders to save President George W. Bush from an embarrassing override of his planned veto of the Homeland Security measure. Another $794-million was added to maintain a large National Guard deployment along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The border security spending, especially money to construct 700 miles of fencing to keep illegal immigrants from Mexico from crossing into the United States, is so popular among Republicans that they would vote to override Mr. Bush's homeland security veto if necessary to obtain financing for the fence.
The border money was added to the Pentagon bill by a 95-1 vote.
Loss of an override vote would be a major embarrassment as Mr. Bush battles with Congress over the 12 appropriations bills funding the government for the budget year that began on Monday.
Mr. Bush vowed to veto the homeland security bill because it exceeds his budget by more than $2-billion, even without the border spending. He is spoiling for a fight with Democrats over $22-billion that they've added to his budget, all for domestic programs.
A companion defence measure passed the House in August. It now heads to House-Senate talks, but there is widespread speculation that the bill will be held back in order to carry other spending bills after they've been vetoed by Mr. Bush.
Democrats touted funding increases in the defence measure for National Guard equipment, military health care and a 3.5 per cent pay increase for military personnel, half a percentage point more than requested by Mr. Bush.
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ANDREW TAYLOR Associated Press October 3, 2007 at 8:24 PM EDT
Article Link
WASHINGTON — The Senate passed a huge $459-billion budget for the Pentagon Wednesday, after adding almost $4-billion to try to gain control over the U.S. border with Mexico.
The Pentagon spending bill, passed by voice vote, does not include President Bush's almost $190-billion request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill does, however, award the Pentagon a 10 per cent increase of $43-billion, much of which would be devoted to procuring new and expensive weapons systems.
Some $3-billion in emergency border security money was already included in a spending bill for the Homeland Security Department but was added to the Pentagon spending measure in a gambit by GOP leaders to save President George W. Bush from an embarrassing override of his planned veto of the Homeland Security measure. Another $794-million was added to maintain a large National Guard deployment along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The border security spending, especially money to construct 700 miles of fencing to keep illegal immigrants from Mexico from crossing into the United States, is so popular among Republicans that they would vote to override Mr. Bush's homeland security veto if necessary to obtain financing for the fence.
The border money was added to the Pentagon bill by a 95-1 vote.
Loss of an override vote would be a major embarrassment as Mr. Bush battles with Congress over the 12 appropriations bills funding the government for the budget year that began on Monday.
Mr. Bush vowed to veto the homeland security bill because it exceeds his budget by more than $2-billion, even without the border spending. He is spoiling for a fight with Democrats over $22-billion that they've added to his budget, all for domestic programs.
A companion defence measure passed the House in August. It now heads to House-Senate talks, but there is widespread speculation that the bill will be held back in order to carry other spending bills after they've been vetoed by Mr. Bush.
Democrats touted funding increases in the defence measure for National Guard equipment, military health care and a 3.5 per cent pay increase for military personnel, half a percentage point more than requested by Mr. Bush.
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