The Senate passes legislation to bestow a Congressional Gold Medal upon the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs), the group of women who served as instructor, transport, and ferrying pilots during World War II. The House would pass a companion bill on June 16, 2009. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) sponsored the respective Senate and House measures.
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.