The finalized military appropriations bill, with hate crimes bill attached, could be vetoed.
This spring, President Obama warned Congress that two things would cause him to veto the 2010 military appropriations bill. He would veto if funding was given for seven to twelve F-22 Raptor jets, or if $2 billion were authorized to develop extra engines for F-35 jet fighters. Congressional advocates say the backup engines are needed in case F-35 engines develop problems in time of war.
Last month, primarily to save the hate crimes amendment attached to the defense authorization bill, the Democrat Senate gave Obama what he wanted. They approved a defense/hate bill package guaranteed to please him.
Yetthe threat of an Obama veto is not over. Last week’s CQ Today (Aug. 12,”Inouye Ignores Veto Threat Against F-35 Engine Funding”) says,
In a rebuff to President Obama, the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Defense Subcommittee says he will support continued funding of the second engine for the F-35, the newest US fighter jet.
Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii, disclosed in a brief interview that when his committee writes the defense bill in September, he will back continued development of the competitive engine, as he has in the past, “Because,” he said, “it makes good sense.”
Further, CQ says, “When the final version of that measure is written, Inouye will be joined in supporting the second engine by his House counterpart, John P. Murtha, D-Pennsylvania.” (Rep. Murtha is a member of the House Appropriations Committee and chair of its Defense Subcommittee.)
Obama’s threat to veto an arms bill is his first veto threat to Congress. It is a power struggle no President can afford to lose. Inouye and Murtha are powerful policy shapers in the Senate and House as well as gatekeepers of military spending. If their resolve to defy Obama hardens during conference between Senate and House in September, there is a real possibility that the finalized military appropriations bill, with hate crimes bill attached, could be vetoed. The hate bill would be destroyed and probably not resurrected in this Congress.