WASHINGTON — With only a few legislative days left in the year, the latest budget machinations in Congress have jeopardized a $625 billion defense bill that would authorize money for personnel, equipment, and the war in Afghanistan.
The Senate is trying to pass its version of the bill and reconcile it with the House version. But a standoff has developed over Republican efforts to attach more amendments.
If the Senate cannot break the impasse when lawmakers return from their holiday recess on Dec. 9, troops still will get paid and fighter jets will continue to be built because of a separate, all-encompassing spending bill.
But major defense policy changes might be lost, including several measures to stem the epidemic of sexual assaults in the military.
Last week, Senate majority leader Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, blocked a vote on an amendment adding a new batch of tough penalties against Iran to the National Defense Authorization Act.
Reid wasn’t keen on replaying a fight over the health care law, opening up contentious issues such as government spying, or allowing probably the last bill out of Congress this year to become a magnet for other matters.
Republicans demanded they be allowed to offer amendments and get votes on them — the norm for decades on a bill that represents half the nation’s discretionary budget.