White House Plans to Veto House Defense Bill

The House’s version of the $638 billion Defense authorization bill is eliciting threats of a veto from the White House. The White House’s reasons are greatly derived from the Obama Administrations predilection for gutting defense, pleasing the Russians, and coddling terrorists. The White House’s objections include:

1. Adding $5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) to fight the war Afghanistan. The White House stated, “The President’s Budget for FY 2014 fully funds OCO requirements.”
2. Building a third missile defense site on the East Coast and restricting the implementation of the new START treaty with Russia.
3. Prohibiting the transfer of detainees from Guantánamo Bay to U.S. soil

The White House stated:

H.R. 1960 assumes adoption of the House Budget Resolution framework, which would hurt our economy and require draconian cuts to middle-class priorities. As the administration indicated previously, the president’s senior advisors would recommend vetoing any appropriations legislation that implements the House Republican Budget framework.

The bill passed the House Armed Services Committee by a vote of 59-2 last week.

If that weren’t bad enough, the Obama Administration asked Congress to accept  Pentagon cost-cutting measures, including new healthcare fees, closing some bases, and reducing the pay for troops.