Tuesday
Feb122008
The Senate Budget Committee seeks answers on the timeline and total of 2009 war funding
The Senate Budget Committee held a hearing on the 2009 defense budget and war costs. Witnesses were Assistant Secretary of Defense Gordon England, Defense Controller Tina Jonas, and General James Cartwright, vice chairman of the joint chiefs of staff.
Ranking member Judd Gregg (R-NH) was not present. After chairman Kent Conrad's opening statement, Wayne Allard (R-CO) made a statement for the Republicans. Both senators mentioned the $70 billion in supplemental war funding as obviously incomplete and vaguely justified.
In his opening statement Conrad made a reference to an interview in the early days of the war where former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld where the former Defense secretary said that the war was estimated at $50 billion.
The focus remained on the discrepancies between the base budget and the war funding which is separate. Both Conrad and Allard asked questions seeking a more realistic, long term projected figure. Secretary Robert Gates had made a statement with the number of $170 billion. But while England agreed with the secretary's estimate he said that both a final war funding figure and a date on which a funding figure for '09 would be known depended on what Gen. Petraeus says this spring and the appropriation of $102 billion from the 2008 war supplemental budget request.
Additionally changes in the labor market, such as a decline in manufacturing and the unpredictability of the market and government budgeting, came up as a concern. General Cartwright said that these things are "challenging" and he discussed the idea of budgeting for two years.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) asked outright whether parts of the procurement section the Defense Department budget was being aimed at a future conflict with China or Russia. Secretary England said that Russian and Chinese defense systems are considered in future Defense spending but as to specific threats being considered England said that he would have to speak in a more classified setting.
Conrad said that they hoped to bring the budget to the floor by the first or second week of March.
Ranking member Judd Gregg (R-NH) was not present. After chairman Kent Conrad's opening statement, Wayne Allard (R-CO) made a statement for the Republicans. Both senators mentioned the $70 billion in supplemental war funding as obviously incomplete and vaguely justified.
In his opening statement Conrad made a reference to an interview in the early days of the war where former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld where the former Defense secretary said that the war was estimated at $50 billion.
The focus remained on the discrepancies between the base budget and the war funding which is separate. Both Conrad and Allard asked questions seeking a more realistic, long term projected figure. Secretary Robert Gates had made a statement with the number of $170 billion. But while England agreed with the secretary's estimate he said that both a final war funding figure and a date on which a funding figure for '09 would be known depended on what Gen. Petraeus says this spring and the appropriation of $102 billion from the 2008 war supplemental budget request.
Additionally changes in the labor market, such as a decline in manufacturing and the unpredictability of the market and government budgeting, came up as a concern. General Cartwright said that these things are "challenging" and he discussed the idea of budgeting for two years.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) asked outright whether parts of the procurement section the Defense Department budget was being aimed at a future conflict with China or Russia. Secretary England said that Russian and Chinese defense systems are considered in future Defense spending but as to specific threats being considered England said that he would have to speak in a more classified setting.
Conrad said that they hoped to bring the budget to the floor by the first or second week of March.
tagged 
2009, Cartwright, Conrad, Defense department, England, Iraq, budget, funding, sanders, supplemental, war in News/Commentary
2009, Cartwright, Conrad, Defense department, England, Iraq, budget, funding, sanders, supplemental, war in News/Commentary
Women may soon win the wage war
“I will never see a cent for my case, but if this bill passes I’ll have an even richer reward because I’ll know that my daughters, my granddaughters and your daughters and your granddaughters will get a better deal. That’s what makes this fight worth fighting and it’s what makes this fight one we have to win,” said Lilly Ledbetter during a press conference to discuss the progress of the fair pay act.
Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md); Patty Murray (D-Wash); Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark); Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich): Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn); Jeanne Shaheen (D- N.H.); Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) appeared to discuss the “Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act”. According to Senator Mikulski, they hope to sign the act before Saturday. Marcia Greenberger, founder and co-president of the National Women’s Law Center was also in attendance.
Senator Mikulski said,“We are doing this in reaction to an outrageous supreme court decision in May 2007 in the famous case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear. their decision was bias and protects corporate interest over human interest.” The bill is expected to be signed within the next 48 hours, and would end discrimination for all categories. “Today, we hope it’s today, if not tomorrow, if not then Saturday, we’re not going to go home until it’s done. Lilly, we are going to get this passed in the United States Senate and I know that because of the courage of the women that stands next to me, that this new President will be signing this bill into law,” said Sen. Patty Murray.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX) had proposed an amendment that some said would weaken pay discrimination law and create a cloud on the real purpose of the bill. This amendment was voted on in the Senate this morning and was defeated 55-40.
Senator Murray is happy about the work that went into this bill, “I’m very proud that because of the work that has gone before us, today my daughter has the same ability as my son to have good pay, a good job, and a great opportunity.”
by Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service and Staff