Senate committee delays defense policy bill until July

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) said today the committee has made the "difficult decision" to delay the mark-up of the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill because of the "uncertainty" of the White House budget submission timing.

The committee typically considers the bill before Memorial Day. It is unclear if the full Senate will be able to vote on the must-pass national security bill before the planned August recess.

Meanwhile, Reed said, the committee will hear testimony from senior Defense Department leaders in June, leaving May to consider 23 presidential nominations.

"Getting these nominations confirmed as quickly as possible will require many hearings," he said. "I ask everyone to be as patient and cooperative as possible."

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-WA) has asked the White House to submit the detailed FY-21 budget by May 10. If the White House doesn’t meet that deadline, he said, Congress, which still plans to take an August recess, will hit several schedule snags and likely be forced to pass a stopgap continuing resolution by Oct. 1.

Though the White House has released toplines for discretionary spending, including for DOD, it remains unclear when the actual budget will be submitted.