House Okays $460 Billion Military Bill
WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives approved $459.6 billion in military spending for fiscal year 2008, putting off debate on items related to the Iraq war until later in the year.
The House voted 395–13 to approve the measure before lawmakers left Washington for an August recess. The measure now goes to the Senate for action after it returns to Washington in September.
House Democrats decided not to take up amendments on the war in Iraq or to limit funds for the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Lawmakers put those debates off until September when they will consider $140 billion in new spending for the war. Previous Democratic efforts to force a change in war policy have either been blocked in the Senate or vetoed by President Bush. Mr. Bush said he has concerns about the defense spending bill, though he hasn't said if he will veto it.
The defense spending measure allocates $139 million less than Mr. Bush requested for building missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. The funds were cut by Democrats during debate in the House Appropriations Committee.
The defense spending measure includes $6.5 billion to buy 12 more Lockheed Martin Corp. Joint Strike Fighters and continue development of the Pentagon's most costly weapons program. It also includes $3.15 billion for the Boeing Co. Future Combat Systems program to develop manned and unmanned armor vehicles linked by drones and radio networks.
The extra money for the war in Iraq will be debated after Congress receives a progress report from General David Petraeus, the top American commander in Iraq, and Ryan Crocker, the American ambassador to Iraq.
