National Security Legislative Calendar

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May 20, 2013 update

[New information bolded and italicized]

National security bills begin in earnest this week. The House Armed Services subcommittees markup or write their portions of the Fiscal Year 2014 Defense Authorization bill this week. After the recess next week for Memorial Day, the full committee considers the bill on June 5 with the measure scheduled to go to the House floor the following week. This bill tends to be the vehicle for dozens of floor amendments on defense and national security issues.

KEY BUDGET DATES AHEAD

Thursday, May 22: House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee marks up the Fiscal Year 2014 strategic budget
Wednesday, June 5: House Armed Services Committee marks up the Fiscal Year 2014 defense budget
Week of June 10: full House considers the Fiscal Year 2014 defense authorization bill
Tuesday, June 11: Senate Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee marks up the Fiscal Year 2014 strategic budget
June 12-14: Senate Armed Services Committee marks up the Fiscal Year 2014 defense budget
Oct.-Nov.: delayed estimated date for U.S. debt ceiling to be reached

KEY FISCAL YEAR 2014 NATIONAL SECURITY BILLS

FISCAL YEAR 2014 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL

On April 10, the Administration submitted its proposed Fiscal Year 2014 budget for military spending. The request for the Pentagon base budget is $526.6 billion, a modest $900 million decrease from Fiscal Year 2013. But the budget ignores the automatic budget cuts under sequestration likely to be in effect next year, which would require an additional $52 billion in savings. Moreover, adding $88.5 billion tentatively slated largely for the war in Afghanistan, $18 billion for nuclear weapons-related programs in the Department of Energy and other military programs, the new national security budget totals $640.5 billion. Click here for a more complete analysis of the budget by Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

There are reports that the House Armed Service Committee, like the Administration, will ignore the sequester caps on spending and set base defense spending for fiscal 2014 at $526.6 billion.

IRAN

On April 16, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved by voice vote Senate Resolution 65, introduced by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). The measure says in part: "If the Government of Israel is compelled to take military action in legitimate self defense against Iran's nuclear weapons program, the United States Government should stand with Israel and provide, in accordance with United States law and the constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize the use of military force, diplomatic, military, and economic support to the Government of Israel in its defense of its territory, people, and existence "

On Wednesday, May 22, the Senate will vote on S Res 65 urging U.S. support for Israel if it decides to attack Iran’s nuclear program. The original measure was modified in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to give the president discretion to decide if any such attack was a legitimate act of self-defense. The measure has 91 co-sponsors.

SYRIA

On May 21, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved 15-3 a bill (S 960) sponsored by Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to provide U.S. weapons to vetted Syrian rebels. The measure does not permit the use of U.S. military force in Syria.

FISCAL YEAR 2014 DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL

According to Politico's Morning Defense, the House Appropriations Committee plans to set the topline number for its defense spending bill at $512.5 billion, more than $3 billion below the level requested by the Obama Administration for fiscal 2014. The committee also plans to set funding for the war in Afghanistan and operations in Iraq during fiscal 2014 at $85.8 billion.

FISCAL YEAR 2014 ENERGY AND WATER APPROPRIATIONS BILL

On April 10, the Administration submitted its proposed $18 billion Fiscal Year 2014 budget for nuclear weapons-related programs in the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. The request includes $7.87 billion for nuclear weapons sustainment and modernization programs, an increase of $311 million (or 4.1%) from last year, and including budget transfers, the total is actually 7%. This extraordinary increase, while so many other programs are being decreased or held even, compares to a proposed $424.5 million for a key non-proliferation program called Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI), a decrease of $76.5 million (or 15%) below the pre-sequester FY 2013 appropriated level. The request to extend the life of the B61 gravity bomb -- an estimated total program cost of $10.4 billion -- is increased from $369 million to $537 million, or 45%. The mixed oxide (MOX) fuel fabrication program, would take plutonium pits from dismantled nuclear warheads, and convert it into less dangerous materials, has been cut by about 27%. Click here for a more complete analysis of the budget by Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation.

FISCAL YEAR 2014 BUDGET RESOLUTION

On March 13, the House Budget Committee approved a draft budget for Fiscal Year 2014 by a 22-17 vote while the same day, the Senate Budget Committee approved by a 12-10 vote the budget put forward by Chair Patty Murray . The Senate version would set defense budget authority for fiscal 2014 at $552 billion, about $8 billion below the level in the budget proposed by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI). Over the next 10 years, Murray’s plan would cut the Pentagon’s funding by about $240 billion. The Ryan budget prevents further across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration from impacting the military budget. The Senate measure would provide $47 billion for war funding in 2014, a cut of 53 percent below the 2013 level, while the House measure provides $50 billion. The Senate measure provides a 9.6% increase over last year’s levels to the International Affairs Budget. The House Budget cuts these same programs by 7%,

On March 21, the House approved the Ryan Budget Resolution 221-207. Before doing so, it rejected several alternative budgets: The Grijalva (D-AZ) Progressive Caucus Budget by a vote of 84-327; the Van Hollen (D-MD) Democratic budget 165-253; the Scott (D-VA) Black Caucus budget 105-305; and the Woodall (R-VA) Republican Study Conference budget 104-132 (with 171 Democrats voting present).

Early on the morning of March 23, the Senate approved its version of the Budget Resolution by a vote of 50-49, a largely partisan vote after a long serious of votes. In one vote, the Cruz (R-TX) amendment to increase funding for an East Coast missile defense failed 25-74. An Ayotte (R-NH) to eliminate for the Medium Extended Air Defense System: (MEADS) was approved 94-5. There is no expectation that there will be a House-Senate agreement on the budget resolution.

TREATIES TO COMBAT NUCLEAR TERRORISM

On March 14, the House Judiciary Committee approved implementation legislation for two treaties to combat nuclear terrorism, the Nuclear Terrorism Conventions Implementation and Safety of Maritime Navigation Act of 2013 (H.R. 1073). The House of Representatives approved similar implementing legislation last year, but the Senate failed to act. The legislation would implement key requirements of the 2005 International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism (ICSANT) and the essential 2005 amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material (CPPNM).

FISCAL YEAR 2014 FOREIGN OPERATIONS APPROPRIATIONS BILL

BILLS COMPLETED FOR THE YEAR

FISCAL YEAR 2013 CONTINUING RESOLUTION

On March 6, the House approved H.R. 933, the Fiscal Year 2013 Continuing Resolution, by a vote of 267-151. The bill totals $1.043 trillion, as does the Senate version. The sequester, which mandates another $85 billion in cuts during the fiscal year, is left largely intact in both bills . The bill provides funding for the government until the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The legislation includes full-year Defense, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bills, which passed the House last year. The bill funds most government programs at current FY 2012 levels, but includes a number of exceptions that fund certain programs at higher levels, including the National Nuclear Security Administration's weapon activities account. The bill does not eliminate the sequester, which took effect on March 1.

On March 20, the Senate approved the Continuing Resolution, offered by Sens. Mikulski (D-MD) and Shelby (R-AL), by a vote of 73-26 after rejecting most attempts to modify the bill. The Senate version added three more full-year appropriations bills, Agriculture, Homeland Security and Commerce, Justice and Science. Other appropriations, such as Department of Energy, will remain under the Continuing Resolution. For the Department of Energy, two exceptions to the requirement of spending at the Fiscal Year 2012 level are Section 1205, which increases funding for NNSA Weapons Activities by $363 million and Section 1206, which increases funding for NNSA Nonproliferation by $110 million. On March 21, the House approved the Senate version 318-109

2013 Congressional Recess Schedule

Thursday, May 23 - Monday, June 3 - Congressional Memorial Day recess

Friday, June 28 - Monday, July 8 - Congressional 4th of July recess

Friday, Aug. 2 - Monday, Sept.9 - Congressional summer recess

Friday, Sept. 20 - Monday, Sept. 30 - House recess

Friday, Oct. 11 - Tuesday, Oct. 22 - Congressional Columbus Day recess

Friday, Oct. 31 - Tuesday, Nov. 12 - Congressional Veterans Day recess

Thursday, Nov. 21 - Monday, Dec. 2 - House recess