Leo Shane III reports that the military pay raise, sexual assault response review, defense program retirements and surplus equipment sales are among the issues the Senate will address before the bill can advance.
This could enable Congress to pass the measure before the end of the year, despite some lawmakers expecting a budget resolution for fiscal 2015 to see the most action this month, the report said.
However, Shane writes that the bill’s passage could face other delays due to growing demand to include debate on U.S. response to recent insurgencies in Iraq, with some lawmakers calling for increased military involvement.
The administration has so far sent forces to only serve consulting and intelligence-gathering functions, Shane reports.