Senate begins debating defense spending bill

The Senate has begun consideration of the fiscal year 2019 defense appropriations bill as part of a "minibus" that includes other spending legislation.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) said on the Senate floor today that lawmakers are working in bipartisan fashion to pass the minibus as quickly as possible.

Defense "Secretary [Jim] Mattis -- a decorated general who commands deep respect on both sides of the aisle -- has warned that 'failure to modernize our military risks leaving us with a force that could dominate the last war, but be irrelevant to tomorrow's security,'" Shelby said. "I am pleased to report that this bill takes a big step in that direction."

The bill, which adheres to a bipartisan spending agreement brokered earlier this year, would provide $607 billion in base defense funding and a $68 billion Overseas Contingency Operations account.

Shelby noted that Congress has a poor record when it comes to passing spending legislation on time.

"It has been a dozen years since the president was able to sign a defense appropriations bill into law before the end of the fiscal year," he said.

Meanwhile, the House passed its defense spending bill in June.

The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. If Congress does not pass an FY-19 spending package by that time, it must pass a stopgap continuing resolution or face a government shutdown.

"With the continued cooperation of my colleagues, I am confident that we will continue to get our work done in a deliberate and timely manner," Shelby said.

The Senate will begin voting on amendments Monday.