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(TheWeekInCongress.com) September 11, 2008 - The Senate began consideration of S 3001, the fiscal year 2009 authorization bill for the Department of Defense. Authorization bills establish, programs and projects, spending levels, and sometimes set US policy.

The bill continues to increase military end-strengths under the multi-year Grow the Force plans and provides a 3.9% pay increase and many other benefit increases for troops.

The $612 billion bill would authorize $70 billion for the continued war in Iraq. $150 million is earmarked for the Iraqi Freedom fund but authorization is given to transfer those funds to specific US military elements including the Coast Guard. $200 million would go the the Iraq Security Forces Fund to provide equipment, supplies, services, and training to Iraq forces. Over $2 billion is targeted to the fund to defeat improvised explosive devices.

Spending for Iraq major infrastructure projects ($2 million and greater) begun after this bill becomes law is prohibited. The Iraq government is to use Iraqi funds on smaller projects before investing US funds. the US government is directed to begin negotiations with the government of Iraq to share the cost of the Iraq government and combined operations. US Government actions are required to ensure that Iraq funds are used to pay for the Iraq Security Forces and the Sons of Iraq.

Despite the Shiite dominance of the Iraq government since the fall of Saddam Hussein, the Sons of Iraq is a 100,000 member Sunni organization responsible for 'the Awakening', an anti-al Qaeda effort seen by the US military as having strictly curtailed violence against US personnel and largely responsible for the reduction in violence nation-wide going back to 2006. The US military incorporated the Sons with a $300 per month stipend to each member.

Additional spending for Afghanistan totals increases to $5.7 billion. The amount includes $3 billion for the Afghanistan Security Fund. The bill requires DOD to provide a separate budget for Afghanistan spending and activities.

Terror spending sees an increase in the bill through a $10 billion increase to $35 billion for special operations and a $100 million increase to spend $400 million for the purpose of building the capacity of a foreign country's national military forces to conduct counterterrorism operations or participate in or support US military and stability operations.

Amendment activity thus far includes an amendment that extends for five years, rather than three, the statute of limitations on prosecuting allegations of contract fraud during times of war. In other contractor-related provisions the bill would prohibit the use of contractors to interrogate enemy prisoners of war and other detained individuals but would allow them to be used as translators and report writers. Related is a provision requiring a detailed report on internment facilities and operations in Iraq since January 2007.

To be established are specific guidelines governing ethics and performance of contractors. The bill also prohibits the use of private security contractors for purposes that are inherently governmental responsibilities. Among the restriction details is the provisions that the contractors may not be used in highly hazardous public areas where risk of the use of deadly force is likely and discretionary decisions may be made to protect "the life, liberty, or property of private persons or the international relations of the United States."

The bill adds a provision assuring that contractors report allegations of actions committed by or against contractor personnel and that victim and witness protection is provided to contractors making such reports.

S 3001 Report, amendments and votes

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Bills Increase Environmental Education; Clarify Classification of Documents; Reach Out to Veterans in Rural Areas; and Provide a Cost-of-Living Increase to Disabled Vets.

Environmental Education

Grants may be awarded to non-profits, State and local educational agencies, and institutions of higher learning demonstrating expertise and experience in developing resources to help the field of environmental education to become more effective and widely practiced.

HR 3036

Classified Documents

Although the 911 Commission recommended limiting the unnecessary classification of documents and providing incentives for information sharing the government is still not sharing important information due, in part, to over-classification.

HR 6675

Rural Veterans

Veterans who live more that 60 miles from the nearest VA facility to elect to receive health care from a non-VA health care provider and prescriptions from non-VA sources.

HR 1527

Disabled Vets

The Secretary of veterans Affairs is directed to increase veteran disability payments and additional compensation for veteran dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled adult children, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children.

S 2617

The House is adjourned until Monday, September 15th. The House is expected take up energy legislation that expands domestic drilling for oil.

The Senate continues consideration of S 3001 with passage expected during the week of September 15th.