Congress is on its Memorial Day recess, this week, but key Capitol Hill lawmakers are looking forward to getting back to work and getting some unfinished business completed before the House and Senate take their Summer break in August.
Among those looking down the road is west-central Missouri Congressman Ike Skelton (D-MO), Chair of the House Armed Services Committee, whose National Defense Authorization Bill for the 2008 Fiscal Year has cleared the House. A Senate version has been approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee, but awaits action in the full Senate.
Skelton is pleased with the result of a lot of hard work which has produced a package in excess of $500-Billion – a package he points out contains a good deal of funding for Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Fort Leonard Wood stands to receive $129.05-Million, while Whiteman is in line to get $41.4-Million.
Skelton says the Defense Appropriations Bill does not have to be delivered to the President until September.
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