A BILL OF (VERY) PARTICULARS

Ever wonder what gets attached to a bill in Congress?

Here is what is (so far) attached to H.R. 1585, the

National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008.

An Amendment authorizes free mailing privileges for family members of servicemen and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

An Amendment sought to prohibit funds authorized in the bill from being obligated or expended to plan a contingency operation in Iran.

An Amendment sought to add language to clarify that no previous authorization constitutes an authorization to use force against Iran; and make certain that no funds would be used to take military action against Iran in the absence of specific congressional authority or a direct attack.

An Amendment, as modified, requires the Department of Defense to transport the remains of service members by air to the military or civilian airport nearest to the place selected by the family.

An amendment sought to reduce Missile Defense Agency funding by $1.084 billion.
An amendment sought to increase funding for ballistic missile defense by $764 million.

An amendment to clarify that nothing in this legislation would prevent the United States' missile defense capabilities from being placed on operational alert to respond to an immediate, threat posed by ballistic missiles.

Amendment sought to add language to clarify that the prohibition on establishing permanent military bases in Iraq will not prevent the United States and Iraq from entering into military basing rights agreements for the establishment of temporary bases in Iraq.

Amendment requires the Secretary of Defense to submit to the congressional defense committees a report that contains a plan for the transfer of each individual presently detained at Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, under the control of the Joint Task Force Guantanamo, who is or has ever been classified as an "enemy combatant".

Amendment sought to require the video recording of interrogations and other pertinent interactions between U.S. military personnel, or contractors, and detainees arrested and held.

To restore habeas corpus for those detained by the United States.

To limit the length of deployment of members of the Armed Forced for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

To strike section 1023, relating to the granting of civil rights to terror suspects.

To provide for a reduction and transition of United States forces in Iraq.

To express the sense of the Senate that it is in the national security interest of the United States that Iraq not become a failed state and a safe haven for terrorists.

To require a report on the planning and implementation of the policy of the United States toward Darfur.

AND numerous place holders for Senators to come back and add amendments to the bill.

Mind numbing isn't it?

No wonder each Senator has a staff to actually read these things.