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House passes $344 billion military spending bill
The House of Representatives approved a $344 billion defense spending bill that shifts some missile defense funds into anti-terrorism programs after suicide hijack attacks two weeks ago.
The House of Representatives approved a $344 billion defense spending bill that shifts some missile defense funds into anti-terrorism programs after suicide hijack attacks two weeks ago.
The quick bolster to the military authorizes defense spending for fiscal 2002, pouring more than $6 billion into anti-terrorism programs as well as improving military pay, health care, housing and other quality of life issues. It passed 398-17 -- to the delight of President Bush, who said he looked forward to signing a "strong bill" in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks which left nearly 7,000 people reported missing or dead.
"I am pleased that the house has taken the vital step to secure our nation`s security by passing the defense authorization bill," Bush said in a statement. Like the Senate, House members backed away from a battle over Bush`s missile defense plan and made a show of unity after hijackers seized four commercial airliners, smashed two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon near Washington. The fourth crashed in rural Pennsylvania.
The House agreed to shift $400 million from the $8 billion missile defense budget and use it on programs to battle terrorism and wage an offensive on those behind the attacks. He described the funds, which will pay for initiatives to bolster intelligence, homeland defense and crisis response programs, as a "downpayment" on the struggle against terrorism.
House Democrats, who wanted to cut nearly $1 billion from missile defense prior to the attacks, agreed to the compromise with Republicans to avoid a confrontation over the bill and to speed up its approval ahead of the military`s expected counter-strike.
The Senate also agreed last week to sidestep an expected battle over Bush`s missile defense plan by dropping a Democratic-backed provision requiring congressional approval for testing that violated the ABM treaty.
Bureau Report
The quick bolster to the military authorizes defense spending for fiscal 2002, pouring more than $6 billion into anti-terrorism programs as well as improving military pay, health care, housing and other quality of life issues. It passed 398-17 -- to the delight of President Bush, who said he looked forward to signing a "strong bill" in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks which left nearly 7,000 people reported missing or dead.
"I am pleased that the house has taken the vital step to secure our nation`s security by passing the defense authorization bill," Bush said in a statement. Like the Senate, House members backed away from a battle over Bush`s missile defense plan and made a show of unity after hijackers seized four commercial airliners, smashed two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon near Washington. The fourth crashed in rural Pennsylvania.
The House agreed to shift $400 million from the $8 billion missile defense budget and use it on programs to battle terrorism and wage an offensive on those behind the attacks. He described the funds, which will pay for initiatives to bolster intelligence, homeland defense and crisis response programs, as a "downpayment" on the struggle against terrorism.
House Democrats, who wanted to cut nearly $1 billion from missile defense prior to the attacks, agreed to the compromise with Republicans to avoid a confrontation over the bill and to speed up its approval ahead of the military`s expected counter-strike.
The Senate also agreed last week to sidestep an expected battle over Bush`s missile defense plan by dropping a Democratic-backed provision requiring congressional approval for testing that violated the ABM treaty.
Bureau Report