House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) Tuesday evening released language for another short-term continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through April 28, 2017. The proposed CR, which must clear Congress by Friday to avoid a shutdown of the federal government, includes $5.8 billion in overseas contingency operations, which funds the ongoing war against ISIS. It increases funding for KC-46 production, which was necessary to avoid expensive penalties on existing contracts, and directs $724 million of the OCO money toward the purchase of additional Hellfire missiles, Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and Small Diameter bombs. The legislation also provides $72 million for the acquisition of existing technology to combat enemy drones and $170 million for systems development, including new counter-drone systems. The Kurdish Peshmerga would also receive $290 million for “sustainment and stipends” related to their support of the war against ISIS. Overall, the OCO funding in the proposed CR meets President Obama’s request for $5.8 billion in supplemental war funding submitted in a letter to Congress on Nov. 10. Some senators, including Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), had called for a higher supplement that would also begin to meet more of the military’s long-term program needs, some of which may be cast into doubt by a long-term CR.
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…
