In this do-nothing Congress, even work that might get done will be incomplete.
Lawmakers in the House and Senate are negotiating an informal conference report on the annual defense authorization bill in an effort to find a way to get the military policy measure passed by the end of the year. The House passed a formal version of the legislation in May, but companion legislation in the Senate has been stalled for months.
If that plan is a success, it would be the second consecutive year that lawmakers sidestepped the normal debate and amendment process.
And that doesn't sit well with some military advocates, who say the Senate is shirking its responsibility to have an open, honest discussion about military issues.
"We're at war, and we can't even get one full day of debate on the military budget?" said Norb Ryan, president of the Military Officers Association of America. "You don't get good bills without having a transparent debate about what's in them and talking about possible changes."
MOAA last week sent letters to members of the Senate pleading not only for the authorization bill's passage but also for a floor debate on a number of pending amendments, including giving the military a 1.8 percent pay raise next year (the Senate and White House have backed only a 1 percent raise), blocking proposed cuts to housing allowances, and stopping proposed Tricare pharmacy co-pay increases.
With less than a month left on the expected legislative schedule, that kind of lengthy debate seems unlikely. Leaders from the House and Senate Armed Services committees have said their top priority is to ensure that something passes, guaranteeing uncontroversial pay renewals and program authorities are continued even if more controversial issues are bypassed for now.
The defense authorization bill has been a point of bipartisan pride for defense lawmakers, who frequently note that Congress has managed to pass some version of the legislation for the last 53 years.
Armed Services committee members frequently point to that as proof that respect for the military can overcome not just ideological differences but also Capitol Hill gridlock.
But Ryan said the final passage is only part of the process, and one that's empty if lawmakers keep delaying decisions on more controversial items.
In May, the House spent two days of floor debate on its version of the bill, with lengthy discussions on military benefits, preserving the A-10 fleet, the possibility of new base closures and long-term plans for the military prison at Guantanamo Bay. That followed two weeks of open hearings on the bill by the House Armed Services committee.
In contrast, most of the Senate deliberations on the measure thus far have taken place behind closed doors, with readouts and summaries of decisions released after the fact.
Ryan said he hopes outgoing Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., will carve out time in the rapidly disappearing chamber schedule to make the defense authorization measure a priority.
"This isn't the way to do business for your 2 million-plus military employees," he said. "Those leaders need to realize that the optics on this are just terrible, and they need to take time to really debate this."
No timeline has been announced for when an alternative authorization bill might wind through Congress. Lawmakers are expected to end the current session in mid-December.
Leo covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He has covered Washington, D.C. since 2004, focusing on military personnel and veterans policies. His work has earned numerous honors, including a 2009 Polk award, a 2010 National Headliner Award, the IAVA Leadership in Journalism award and the VFW News Media award.
