Working over the weekend to get the conference version of the 2006 defense authorization bill out the door, House legislators passed the bill on a 374-41 vote. The Senate was expected to take up the $441.5 billion measure Monday. One key provision, per Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, offers protection against civil and criminal prosecution for US service members who “act in good faith.”
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
