Obama to sign military budget bill

[Joanne98]

Source: AFP

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama will Wednesday sign a 680-billion-dollar defense authorization bill, which includes funds to train Afghan security forces and for more mine resistant troop carriers.

Obama will host a ceremony before signing the bill, after waging a campaign to purge the mammoth legislation of wasteful and bloated spending.

The bill had earlier stirred fears of a presidential veto, after lawmakers permitted spending on a fighter aircraft the Pentagon opposes.

"As commander-in-chief, I will always do whatever it takes to defend the American people," Obama said, in excerpts of remarks he was to deliver at the bill signing ceremony later Wednesday.

"That is why this bill provides for the best military in the history of the world."

But warning that the bill was not perfect, the president vowed to carry on fighting to cut waste in the defense budget, which is often packed with pet projects of lawmakers for their home states.

"Wasting these dollars makes us less secure. And that's why we have passed a defense bill that eliminates some of the waste and inefficiency in our defense process.


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i9qNBSHuwsoOd_v3lPvcCblD6yGA

[Kolesar]

1. Hey, Saud! Can you lend me some money, I promise to stay bogged down with it

Somewhere on the edge of our empire...

[joeycola]

2. This bill is not subject to the pay as you go provisions like health care

is!!

[TheLastMohican]

3. 680 billion

Holy cow! That's like 60% of all world military expenditures.

Tear down that wall, Mr. Obama!

There is no need to feed all the military-industrial complex and rather channel money to the ones who really need that.

[valerief]

4. So the RW must be up in arms about this spending, right? (crickets...) nt

[nightrain]

5. knr. sickening. Money available for war, but not for health. Dumb.

[Lagomorph]

6. When he puts his name on it, he owns it. eom

[SammyWinstonJack]

7. Obscene

:puke:

[optimator]

8. the President just lost the right to cry about deficit spending

along with any member of congress who voted for it