Lawmakers already have a backup plan to follow a promised veto by President Bush on the current war on terror supplemental; they plan to supply funding for only two months, reports The Hill. On Friday, Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), chairman of the defense appropriations panel, called such a move “very likely.” Another appropriator, Rep. James Moran (D-Va.) said that a two-month bill would fund troops but reduce the President’s options. However, he acknowledged that it would fund the surge in ground forces. Without passage of a supplemental bill to cover the surge, the Pentagon already plans to take money from the Air Force and Navy to support Army operations.
The Air Force is spending heavily on F-22 improvements through the end of the decade, suggesting it may not retire the jet in 2030 as it previously planned. New sensors, fuel tanks, communications, and electronic warfare systems are among the upgrades that comprise the package.