The Office of Management and Budget on July 30 sent a three-page Statement of Administration Policy to Congress, taking exception to the “costly earmarks” and “other objectionable provisions” of the 2009 Military Construction and VA spending bill. House appropriators and their Senate counterparts have proposed increasing spending by about $4 billion over the President’s request. According to the policy statement, the President’s “responsible plan” should stand. However, if Congress insists on more, it must provide offsetting reductions in other spending bills. Otherwise, it said, “the President will veto any of the other bills that exceed his request until Congress demonstrates a path to reach the President’s topline.”
The Pentagon could have the option to create a new combatant command devoted to unmanned and autonomous systems if a provision in the Senate Armed Services Committee’s annual defense policy bill becomes law. The legislation is one of several moves lawmakers have proposed in recent weeks to both bound and…