Still Waiting

With Congress a full week into fiscal year 2010, House lawmakers have yet to officially designate who will negotiate the FY-10 defense appropriations bill.

Traditionally the members of the subcommittees of both chambers are the conferees. On Oct. 6, the Senate Appropriations Committee appointed Sens. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Robert Byrd (D-WV), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Arlen Specter (D-PA), Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS), Kit Bond (R-MO), Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Richard Shelby (R-AL), Judd Gregg (R-NH), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Robert Bennett (R-UT) and Sam Brownback (R-KS).

A House staffer tells InsideDefense.com that the conference meetings could begin next week, with the two chambers voting on the final compromise bill the following week.