Rapid Fire Sept. 5, 2013: How to Fund Longer-Term Research While Budgets Decrease?

Syrian update

• Will lukewarm support from the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committees for a resolution [PDF] authorizing strikes against Syria translate into 60 votes in the US Senate as a whole? Then there’s the House, where some pro-defense lawmakers may try to tie a renewed effort to repeal sequestration to authorizing the use of force against Assad’s regime. Yesterday’s hearing at the House Foreign Affairs panel can be seen in the video below:

• With debate over what to do with Syria at the top of the US Congress’ agenda, the FY2014 defense bill is likely to be further delayed. Its chances of getting through the Senate, let alone conference with the House, before the end of the month/fiscal year were already slim.