Compromise defense bill remains elusive

The leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees say they are still hammering out differences in a potential joint 2015 defense policy measure.

{mosads}“We’re moving,” House Armed Services Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) told reporters Tuesday morning before confirming that negotiators are grappling with multiple outstanding issues.

McKeon said there are “some things” Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) “is working on.” He declined to elaborate.

“I think we should get a bill,” McKeon said. When asked if legislation would be unveiled this week, however, he responded: “Or next or next.”

His comments are a marked shift from last Thursday, when he told The Hill he expected the joint bill to be wrapped up that day.

The full House passed its version of the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in May. The Senate unveiled its draft of the defense policy road map the same month, but the measure did not make it to the floor before Congress adjourned for the midterm elections.

Congress has approved an NDAA for 52 consecutive years before the Dec. 31 deadline. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) last year waited until the last minute to bring the defense policy bill to the floor, angering Republicans who complained that there wasn’t enough time to consider their amendments.

On Monday, Levin told reporters there were a “number” of issues being worked out.

Levin said he hoped to have a bill finalized this week.