DoD on the Hill
Afghanistan and Health Care reform dominate Congress's' attention: The President's troop increase announcement on Tuesday night and the Senate's continuing debate on Health Care reform (with a sidebar issue of White House security and party crashers) captured most of Congress' time and attention this week. There was no movement on Appropriations bills. It is likely that these two major issues will continue to command members' attention until adjournment later this month. The Senate majority leadership's goal of finishing its Health Care bill before the end of the year means that only limited Senate floor time will be available to debate other legislation. The President's announcement to commit an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan has already spawned four committee hearings with testimony by State Sec. Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and JCS Chairman ADM Mike Mullen and focused Appropriators' attention on how to pay for this deployment (see below).
FY2010 Omnibus Appropriations Bill(s) growing more certain: With the end of the current Continuing Resolution (Dec. 18) approaching, congressional appropriators are working to come up with a plan to complete FY Appropriations Bills. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) expressed hope that final action on appropriations bills could be completed in the next two weeks. But, the question now is: In what form will the endgame be accomplished? For some time, Hill observers have speculated that the remaining seven appropriations bills would be wrapped up into one bill, possibly the DoD bill. Now they are talking about two bills. GovernmentExecutive.com reported today that House Democrats are considering one bill that would include six Appropriations bills, as well as some job-related legislation and a short-term expansion of the Patriot Act. The second bill, according to the report, would be the FY2010 DoD Appropriations bill, which could include an increase in the debt ceiling. This latter approach might change due to strong opposition to including debt limit increases in other legislation.
Defense Budget and Financial Management News
Congress proposes ways to fund Afghanistan troop increase: When the President announced an increase in troop strength in Afghanistan by 30,000, he said he would work with Congress to fund his plan and strategy. He didn't have to wait long for Congress' response. Even before the announcement was made, members of Congress had begun sharing their ideas on how the $30 billion (Administration estimate) should be funded. House Appropriations Chair Dave Obey (D-WI) proposed a special surtax to fund the additional costs. Some Senate Democrats are taking about a special war tax. Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA), also an appropriator, recommended reducing all nondefense agencies' FY2010 budgets by two percent. Others have recommended transferring unused stimulus funding to DoD for the war. In any case, Congress is likely to press for early consideration of a supplemental so they will have the opportunity to debate not only the funding but the strategy.
Other Issues of Interest
President formally recommends a 2 percent civilian pay increases 2010: In a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), President Obama reiterated his support for a two percent pay raise for federal civilian personnel and a freeze on locality pay at the 2009 level and issued an executive order to this effect, The President cited sacrifices being made by employees in the private sector during the current economic downturn and budget affordability given the high deficits as the main reasons for his decision. The Congress could still overrule the President if they pass and the President signs legislation providing for a higher raise. This has often been done in past years. Legislation for a higher raise would come in the FY2010 Financial Services Appropriations bill. The House version of the bill, passed earlier this year, provides a 2 percent raise. The Senate Appropriations Committee's bill, which has yet to come to the Senate floor, supports a 2.9 percent pay increase. Hill observers think that is unlikely that the final bill will include a raise above 2 percent.
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