The Fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill probably won’t show on the Senate horizon until after President Bush turns over the BRAC commission report. He has until Sept. 23 to get it to Capitol Hill. Thus, there is plenty of time for unhappy Senators to line up votes for an amendment to derail BRAC.
Lloyd Austin, President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to lead the Pentagon, spent his Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 19 pressing his civilian bona fides to lawmakers, with some pledging opposition to the waiver Austin would need to become the nation’s first Black Defense Secretary. Austin spent 40 years in the military…