Prospects for wrapping up the defense spending bill for fiscal 2012 by the Dec. 16 deadline are dimming.
Defense is currently being funded through a continuing resolution along with much of the rest of the federal government. “It’s likely that the continuing resolution will be extended further, perhaps into January,” says Todd Harrison, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
Before leaving for the Thanksgiving break, the Senate was debating the defense authorization bill. Congress returns in the final days of November, leaving little time for debate on other bills — even the must-pass defense spending bill, defense insiders say.