Rules Committee says it may curb Defense amendments

“While this is not the traditional process for this bill,
there are a number of sensitive and ongoing issues related to national security
that are more appropriately handled through an orderly amendment process
ensuring timely consideration of this important measure.”

{mosads}Since Republicans took control of the House in 2011, the
Defense Appropriations Bill has been considered on the floor through an open rule,
which allows all amendments to be considered.

The Hill first reported last week that Republican leadership
was mulling restricting amendments to the Defense bill over concerns about measures on the National
Security Agency, Syria and Egypt.

The concern, according to defense sources, was that the amendments
would tie President Obama’s hands or be used on the campaign trail against
lawmakers.

Sessions wrote that all amendments to the bill had to be
filed by Tuesday.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s (R-Va.) weekly schedule
said that the Defense bill would possibly be considered this week. The measure
passed the Appropriations Committee more than a month ago.