The Fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill probably won’t show on the Senate horizon until after President Bush turns over the BRAC commission report. He has until Sept. 23 to get it to Capitol Hill. Thus, there is plenty of time for unhappy Senators to line up votes for an amendment to derail BRAC.
With a fresh directive from the president, the department could opt to repeat its unconventional—and potentially unlawful—move to pay troops using unused non-personnel appropriations.
