A group of Congressmen have lobbied appropriators to provide the same 2.7 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees as the House approved for military personnel in the 2007 defense authorization bill. Leading the effort are Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). The Administration proposal for 2007 had put both pay raises at 2.2 percent.
The use of a military counter-drone laser on the southwest border this week—which prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to abruptly close the airspace over El Paso, Texas—will be a “case study” on the complex web of authorities needed to employ such weapons near civilian areas and the consequences of agencies…

