Murtha not high on bill’s prospects

The chairman of the Appropriations Defense panel is uncertain the House will pass a 2009 defense spending bill.

Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) said the chances for the bill to be taken up this year are “50-50,” but he did not think it would happen.

{mosads}Murtha said debate over the most recent emergency war supplemental has delayed the normal markup process for the 2009 defense budget bill.

“We may not even get to this bill until after August,” Murtha told The Hill. “The supplemental has pushed everything back.”

Traditionally, Murtha’s panel marks up the base defense budget bill at the end of May and the full Appropriations Committee marks it up in June. The House usually votes on the appropriations bill in July.

But this year appears to be different. “It’s so difficult to build a bill with so many people against the war,” Murtha said.