National Defense Authorization Act for 2014

The House and Senate are suspending regular order on a $607 billion Defense authorization bill in a last-ditch effort to get it to President Obama's desk before the end of the year.  Under the agreement reached by the House and Senate panels, the National Defense Authorization Act authorizes $526.8 billion in base defense spending, as well as $80.7 billion for war funding in Afghanistan.  The bill has been signed into law for 51 straight years.  (The Hill, 12/9/2013)