House passes $427.4 billion Defense spending bill

The House lifted a nearly decade-old ban on overseas sales of F-22 Raptor aircraft and beat back a spirited attempt by Democrats to slap restrictions on the National Security Agency's domestic spying program as it approved a $427.4 billion fiscal 2007 Defense appropriations bill Tuesday.

The measure, approved by a vote of 407-19, contains an additional $50 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, bringing the total to $450.8 billion spent on global anti-terror operations since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

To boost domestic programs, appropriators reduced the base Defense budget by $4 billion from the White House request. That prompted the White House to threaten a veto if the final version is cut any further. Still, the underlying bill contains a $19 billion increase -- or 5 percent -- over fiscal 2006.

The measure does comply with the Bush budget by proposing a 2.2 percent pay raise for military employees, less than the 2.7 percent civilian pay raise included in the House fiscal 2007 Transportation-Treasury appropriations bill passed last week.

After lengthy debate, the House voted down an amendment by Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff of California and Jay Inslee of Washington, 219-207, that would bar funds "from being available to engage in electronic surveillance in the United States" except if authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Defense Appropriations Subcommittee ranking member John Murtha, D-Pa., led the charge against it, along with senior Republicans, including Intelligence Chairman Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich.

Murtha and others assured backers of the amendment that those who have been briefed on the program are certain that civil liberties are being safeguarded. But they were hamstrung by restrictions on making arguments based on classified information.

"We're in a bad situation here, Mr. Chairman," a flustered Murtha told the bill's other manager, Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman C.W. (Bill) Young, R-Fla. "I don't know if I can say anymore." But with the White House and GOP leadership firmly in opposition, the amendment failed, despite 23 Republican votes in favor.

The underlying bill contains $87.4 billion for procurement. That includes $2.9 billion to buy 20 F-22 Raptor aircraft in fiscal 2007, a $1.4 billion increase over the president's incremental funding approach spread over multiple years.

In a boon to Raptor manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp., the House agreed to strip language -- contained in every Defense spending bill since 1997 -- prohibiting F-22 sales to foreign governments, despite concerns it could lead to advanced technologies falling into the wrong hands.

Lockheed has been pushing Congress to lift the ban so the Air Force can sell aircraft to allies, with Japan viewed as a strong possibility. The amendment was offered by Rep. Kay Granger, R-Texas, whose Fort Worth district is home to a major Lockheed facility, and was approved by voice vote after only a few minutes of debate.

Appropriations Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., said he felt appropriate safeguards for the plane's sensitive technologies were in place. Young agreed to the amendment but expressed reservations. He suggested the language will have to be tightened in conference to ensure technology is only sold to "unquestionable supporters" of the United States.

Appropriations ranking member David Obey, D-Wis., who authored the original 1997 ban, said he was "significantly uncomfortable" with the decision. But Lockheed has powerful friends in both chambers, as does Boeing, which manufactures some of the Raptor's component parts.

The floor debate also centered on earmarks in the bill, although Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., was no more successful in stripping Defense earmarks than he was on previous bills. He targeted projects included by Lewis as well as Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill.; a Murtha project and two projects important to GOP lawmakers facing tough re-election fights.

Flake said $1 million for the Institute for Exploration at Connecticut's Mystic Aquarium, secured by Rep. Rob Simmons, R-Conn., has no place in a Defense spending bill. Nor, he said, does $4 million for the Center for Rotorcraft Innovation in Media, Pa., authored by Rep. Curt Weldon, R-Pa. "You didn't have the courtesy to come and ask me" about the project, Weldon thundered. "You took a cheap shot."