House overwhelmingly passes $690 billion defense bill

news.yahoo.com...

WASHINGTON – The Republican-controlled House on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a $690 billion defense bill that limits President Barack Obama's authority on reducing nuclear weapons and deciding the fate of terrorist suspects.

I agree that limiting the presidents authority on deciding the fate of detainees is good, but reducing the authority on reducing nukes? I guess it could go both ways, but im not sure at the moment.

On a 322-96 vote, the House approved the broad defense blueprint that would provide a 1.6 percent increase in military pay, fund an array of aircraft, ships and submarines and increase health care fees slightly for working-age military retirees. The bill meets the Pentagon's request for $119 billion to fight wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The fees are "slightly" increased, but im not sure how much "slightly" means in todays world.

Final passage came shortly after the House narrowly rejected a measure requiring an accelerated timetable and exit strategy for withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan nearly 10 years after the conflict began.

Looks like we will be in Afghanistan longer now....not saying I ever thought we would leave in the first place....

More on the detainee part.

The House added another provision on Thursday, voting 246-173 to require that all foreign terrorist suspects be tried in military tribunals.

Good! Finally they get an actual trial.

The bill also would delay the new policy allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

690 billion.... almost sounds like real money

You really gotta wonder why they ever bother with the bills when they only let pass what they want to pass. Oh well, I guess this is just more fuel for the fire, and just when you thought congress would take a break from angering the public.

maybe with an extra 690 billion we can stop a guy in a cave and a few of his buddies from overcoming all our defenses and attacking American soil.

Originally posted by The4thLegacy
690 billion.... almost sounds like real money

realistically, if this was all $1 dollar bills.

It would require an entire football field from end zone
to end zone with stacks 4 feet high to store it all.

This bill can be read as:


Screw the military men and women.

Screw one of the only things Obama was doing right (trying to reduce the amount of nukes).

Screw homosexuals.

Screw the American Taxpayer.



Oh, and a nice juicy bonus for all the congressmen and women who have shares in the Military Industrial Complex (basically all of them).



And for those who weren't around back in the 80's, we're making the exact same mistake that undid the USSR.

$690 billion defense budget and we wonder why this country is broke? So much for cutting some fat and reducing the deficit!.If this is their idea of spending cuts I hate to see what the other spending is going to look like.

House approved the broad defense blueprint that would provide a 1.6 percent increase in military pay..

That is just wonderful....

Too bad most americans took a pay CUT last year...

reply to post by buni11687


The need for nukes are out dated. New technology makes nukes look like childs play. Anyone ask whats wrong with the Republicans here is a example. My family has been Republican since Abraham Lincoln but I have finally had to leave the party. It use to be said have a Republican in the White House have a recession. Have a Democrate in the White House you get a war. Now put a Republican in the White House you get a war and a recession. 690 BILLION who the are we defending against. But don't spend any money on the american taxpayer we just CAN"T AFFORD IT. Apparently they need all the Defense funding to defend themselves against those same taxpayers. The Republican control just passed the Patriot Act Extension.

reply to post by buni11687


Effing hypocrites. This is why I HATE Republicans, they preach about cutting the budget, then pass overwhelmingly a MASSIVE "defense" budget, while simultaneously screwing our troops on several counts.

Who do they represent?

The military industrial complex. That's it. If they were serious they would have trimmed the Defense budget, they would have accelerated our withdraw from hostile territories.. and they certainly wouldn't have attacked our troops.

Bastards.

reply to post by Rockpuck


republicans, democrats...it's all the same to me...they're all hypocrits..."hey we're broke...let's cut spending everywhere" The next day..."hey everybody vote YES to this half a trillion dollar defense bill!"...