Congress Approves 1% Cut in Military Construction Funds
The House and Senate have given final approval to legislation providing $10.5 billion in fiscal 2003 for Dept. of Defense construction programs, down 1% from the 2002 total. Final passage came on Oct. 10, with the House voting 419-10 for the measure and the Senate also approving it unanimously. The "mil con" legislation now goes to President Bush, who is expected to sign it although it is $835 million more than he requested.
Senate military construction appropriations subcommittee Chairman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) calls the measure "a balanced, bipartisan bill intended to meet some of the most pressing infrastructure requirements of our military forces."