Week ahead: Negotiators face tough choices on defense bill

Congress will kick off the coming week with formal negotiations on the budget caps-busting annual defense spending bill, with several looming points of contention that must be worked out by December.

The House and Senate are moving to combine their versions of the fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) after the Senate last week officially pushed forward its bill to go to conference.

The House earlier this month agreed by unanimous consent to go to conference, and passed its version of the NDAA in July.

{mosads}

Lawmakers must now reconcile key differences in the two bills, including the total number of new aircraft and ships to buy, the size of the Army, and whether to create a new Space Corps military service within the Air Force.

The House version authorizes a new Space Corps, which would be focused on addressing threats from such countries as Russia and China to U.S. assets in space, such as satellites.

The Senate’s bill, meanwhile, blocks the creation of a space service. Instead, Senate lawmakers only want a new position created that reports directly to the defense secretary and heads all cyber and space warfare policy.

Several high-ranking officials have come out against the plan for a Space Corps, including Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein and even the White House.

Defense Secretary James Mattis, who spoke against the idea in the past, last week reiterated his position in a letter to chairmen and ranking Democrats on the House and Senate Armed Services committees.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) has told reporters that negotiators hope to resolve all major differences by the end of October, except for the biggest point of contention — the topline dollar amount.

The House NDAA would authorize $621.5 billion in the base defense budget and $75 billion for a war fund known as the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account.

The Senate version, meanwhile, would authorize $640 billion for the base defense budget and $60 billion for the OCO.

Both versions are widely above President Trump’s $603 billion base defense spending request and the Budget Control Act caps for fiscal 2018, which are set at $549 billion.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) this week expressed some optimism over being able to lift the budget caps, but should lawmakers be unable to work out a compromise, it could mean another continuing resolution.

That’s a worrisome prospect for military leaders, who for years have bemoaned continuing resolutions and budget uncertainty as the biggest threat to military readiness.

There are also a number of House and Senate hearings and outside events in the coming week.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will have a hearing on U.S. policy on Myanmar at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Dirksen Senate Office Building, room 419. http://bit.ly/2zoyjqA

Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) will speak about “Ending Modern Slavery” at the Center for Strategic and International Studies at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. http://bit.ly/2zoYduu

Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Ben Cardin (D-Md.) provides the keynote address at the Center for Strategic and International Studies “Transformational Leadership in International Affairs” conference at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. http://bit.ly/2yyhn1R

Afghan first lady Rula Ghani will talk about women as peacemakers at the U.S. Institute of Peace at 10 a.m. Wednesday. http://bit.ly/2zplDQt

A House Foreign Relations Committee subpanel will have a hearing on the next steps after President Trump’s Iran announcement with testimony from outside experts at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Rayburn House Office Building, room 2172. http://bit.ly/2gRL5XU

The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee will vote on three nominations Wednesday off the Senate floor during afternoon votes. http://bit.ly/2krKVZS

A House Judiciary Committee subpanel will have a hearing on the refugee admissions program at 9 a.m. Thursday at Rayburn 2141. http://bit.ly/2x97czq

Recent stories:

— Syrians declare ‘total liberation’ of Raqqa from ISIS

— UN refugee chief: Trump refugee cap takes away ‘life saving’ option

— Senate panel announces public war authorization hearing with Mattis, Tillerson

— Pentagon officials insist they are informing lawmakers on Niger attack

— Trump changes to Iran deal face criticism from both sides

— Senators demand info on deadly Niger ambush

— Trump faces blowback after claim about calls to families of the fallen

— Top Dem after trip to South Korea: Ally is confused, shaken by Trump rhetoric