[ThePythonicCow]

I'm confused. A couple days ago, I posted another article: Senate Clears Emergency Funds, Sends to Bush which led me to think that Congress had passed the Defense money and it was on the way to Bush.

But this article makes it sound like the Senate is still considering it.

[mystery-ak]

Yippee!....a 4.1 pay raise....

[rmlew]

PAthetic.
WE are at War and Congress refuses to appropriate.
The military needs a 5% raise and then wages indexed to inflation.
We are also seriously in need of replacing older jets and ships in our inventory.

[ThePythonicCow]

Ok - I am not confused anymore. A little poking around on Thomas (thomas.loc.gov) shows these two bills:

1. H.R. 4775 2002 Supplemental Appropriations Act for Further Recovery From and Response To Terrorist Attacks on the United States
2. H.R. 5010 Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2003, and for other purposes.

HR4775 was a $30 (approx.) Billion supplemental spending bill for the Fiscal Year ending this August. It has passed both houses and was sent to the President on July 26. It contains the several page addition by Daschle DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: Forest Service: WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT for the purpose:

1. to authorize and direct the Secretary of Agriculture (in this section referred to as the `Secretary') to undertake actions to address promptly the risk of fire and insect infestation; and
2. to designate an addition to the existing Black Elk Wilderness Area in the Black Hills National Forest.

HR5010 is next years Defense Appropriations (Fiscal Year 2003, beginning Sept 2002), for $355 Billion. It was reported out from the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 18, 2002, and is presumably the bill now being considered on the Senate floor. I don't believe that it has gone to Conference yet for resolution with the similar bill that the House passed June 27, 2002.

[ThePythonicCow]

A ping to those who taken interest in this earlier on the Daily Dose thread.

The following new thread reports that the Defense bill passed the Senate and went to the President: Senate Passes $355 Billion Defense Bill (Republican-led House approved its bill in June)