Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) is trying to bypass defense authorizers in order to fund a missile defense project in his state.
Inouye wants to use $68.5 million from last year’s missile defense budget for the construction of an Aegis Ashore test facility. He wants to ensure the money is available in the bill funding military construction projects for fiscal 2010, which is under Senate consideration this week.
Inouye in a floor speech Monday admitted that he offered the amendment with some “reservation” because it circumvents the “normal order of business” in the Senate.
The effort is likely to create tensions with Senate defense authorizers who by law have to give the green light to all military construction projects.
Inouye’s pending amendment would self-authorize and fund the project at the Pacific Missile Range on Kauai Island. …
Inouye’s position is bolstered by the growing threat of missile attacks on his state, and he has the backing of the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
‘The full report can be found in The Hill. See https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/67061-inouye-seeks-missile-defense-project’