The full Senate on Sept. 22 OK’d $6.1 billion for military construction in Fiscal 2006 and nearly $71 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs. The appropriations vote was unanimous. Now, if the Senate would just look at the 2006 defense authorization measure. (DR, 09/21/05)
The Air Force ramped up operations and maintenance spending to keep its F-35A fighters flying over the past six years, but readiness continues to lag behind goals, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.