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IAVA Daily Brief 12.14.09
Posted by Terrell Frazier on December 14 2009

Here are some of today's top stories and happenings at IAVA.  Prefer to receive real-time updates about major stories and legislation that IAVA is tracking?  Follow us on Twitter @IAVAPressRoom or subscribe to receive the brief in your inbox each morning at www.iava.org/dailynewsbrief.

MUST READS

 1) VA covered in omnibus spending bill passed by Senate

The Senate on Sunday passed a $1.1 trillion spending bill with increased budgets for vast areas of the federal government, including veterans' programs. vast areas" of the Federal "government, including...veterans' programs. The package passed 57-35 and now goes to President Barack Obama for his signature. Under the bill, the Veterans Health Administration budget rises from $41 billion to $45.1 billion.

2) DoD to add $100 billion to 2011-15 spending
The Obama administration will add $100 billion to the Pentagon’s 2011-’15 base budget plan to cover the rising cost of personnel and pressing modernization needs, officials said. If approved by Congress, the money would allow U.S. defense spending to rise about 1 percent above projected inflation, analysts said.

3) Gates: Air Force likely to stay in Iraq after 2011

The U.S. Air Force is likely to remain in Iraq after 2011, when its forces are scheduled to pull out, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday. The defense secretary said plans are on schedule to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Iraq from 120,000 to 50,000 by October 2010 and to complete the withdrawal by December 2011.

AFGHANISTAN

The top United Nations official in Afghanistan who has come under criticism in recent weeks said Friday that he would leave when his contract expired early next year, as the organization was already looking for a replacement.

A junior German defense minister, said the country was not ready to commit additional forces to a revitalized military campaign in Afghanistan.

The Central Intelligence Agency has terminated a contract with the security company formerly called Blackwater Worldwide that allowed the company to load bombs on C.I.A. drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan, intelligence officials said Friday.

IRAQ

The U.S. military had warned of an imminent attack hours before last week's deadly bombings in Baghdad, but the tip came too late to act on, Iraqi security officials said Sunday.

A car packed with explosives detonated near a passing police patrol Sunday in western Iraq, killing at least two people but missing the security chief who was the apparent target, a police official said.

Iraq's oil minister dubbed the country's second postwar oil auction a triumph, even as international oil companies largely snubbed the most violent regions in the Middle East's last major oil bonanza.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

The New York Times highlighted a few hiccups during Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ trips to Afghanistan and Iraq last week, including Gates finding himself grounded by weather in Kabul, stood up by the prime minister in Baghdad and startled by President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan saying Afghans would not be able to pay for their own security forces until 2024.

Navy beat Army 17-3 on Saturday for their eighth straight win in the series. The loss ended the Black Knights' chances of playing in their first bowl game since 1996.

Author Stephen King and his wife are donating money so 150 troops from the Maine Army National Guard can come home for the holidays.

INSIDE WASHINGTON

With the president estimating that the buildup will cost $30 billion, Congressman David Obey is proposing a “war surtax.” Although the measure is unlikely to pass, the Obama administration is bracing for its first significant battle with fellow Democrats.

CONGRESSIONAL SCHEDULE

THE SENATE

The Senate will convene at 2:00 p.m.

SENATE FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST

HR 3590— Health care overhaul

HR 3326 — Defense spending and other provisions (tentative)

COMMITTEE HEARINGS of INTEREST

No issues today

THE HOUSE of  REPRESENTATIVES



The House convenes at 2:00 p.m.

HOUSE FLOOR ACTIVITY of INTEREST

HR 3326   — Defense spending and other provisions

FUTURE  HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARINGS of  INTEREST



December 15, 2009  House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee joint hearing on Afghanistan security policy with Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton 9:30 a.m.; 2359 Rayburn 

A wide-range of views, positions, and publications are represented in these articles. These views, positions and publications are not endorsed by nor do they necessarily represent the views of IAVA.

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