Stalled Defense Bill Irks Bush

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — President Bush on Tuesday prodded Congress to act quickly on annual spending for the Pentagon, arguing that to do otherwise would be to “play politics” with the defense bill in the midst of the war on terrorism and the brewing conflict with Iraq.

The measure is one of the 13 annual appropriations bills that has yet to clear Congress, even as the start of the new federal fiscal year looms on Oct. 1. Traditionally, at least a few would have been signed into law by now. This year, however, a variety of political squabbles has stalled the budgeting process.

The defense bill is among the furthest along; the House and Senate each has passed a version of the measure and lawmakers are expected to hammer out their differences and emerge with a compromise soon. But by singling out defense spending, Bush called attention to a sluggish budget process that is clearly becoming a source of frustration for the administration.

In a wide-ranging speech at a Republican political fund-raiser in Tennessee, Bush reviewed his efforts to thwart terrorism and confront Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, whose regime he called one of the “true threats” to peace.

After praising Congress for bipartisan support for his previous military spending requests, he scolded lawmakers for not having passed the pending defense bill.

“They need to act,” he said. “The leadership in Washington needs to move a defense bill to my desk as quickly as possible. They ought not to play politics with the defense appropriations bill in the midst of a war--a war that will define civilization itself.”

He noted that he is seeking the largest increase in defense spending since the Reagan administration. That increase is needed, he said, to “send a message to friend and foe alike that the United States is not going to relent in our quest for freedom; that we’re in this deal for the long haul; that there’s not a calendar on my desk that says by such and such a date, we quit.”

The Senate passed a $355.4-billion defense appropriation bill in early August that would add $34.4 billion to the Pentagon budget. The House approved a $354.7-billion version of the bill in June.

A $10-billion war contingency fund is under negotiation between the Bush administration and Congress and could be approved separately.

Turning to another dispute with Congress, Bush repeated his pledge to veto a measure to create a Department of Homeland Security--one of his top domestic priorities--if the Democratic-led Senate does not give the agency greater freedom in hiring and firing employees than is allowed by federal law.

The administration argues that such latitude is needed to ensure the department’s effectiveness in responding to security threats. But Senate Democrats say that the White House is exaggerating the need for loosening the employees’ labor rights and that they are fighting to preserve the civil service protections.

“I’m going to make good on my promise that if the flexibility is not in the bill ... I’m going to use my veto power,” Bush said. “I will not accept a lousy bill that makes it impossible for the president, this president or future presidents, to do what the American people expect, and that’s to protect the homeland.”

In response, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) noted that Bush had resisted Democratic calls for a separate homeland security agency before unveiling his proposal in June. “Had [Bush] supported homeland security legislation when the Democrats first offered it last [year], we probably would have completed it by now,” he said.

Bush spoke at a luncheon that raised $800,000 for the Senate campaign of Republican Lamar Alexander, and an additional $300,000 for the state Republican Party.

The visit to Tennessee took Bush to a state he won--over Al Gore, a Tennessee native--by almost 4% in 2000.

Alexander is a former Tennessee governor who served as Education secretary in the first Bush administration and who unsuccessfully sought the GOP presidential nomination in 1996 and 2000.

He is running against Rep. Bob Clement, a Democrat, for the Senate seat being left vacant by Republican Fred Thompson’s retirement.

Bush, as he has at nearly every turn of his crowded travel schedule this year, mixed politics and policy on his Tennessee trip--in this case delivering a speech at a local school encouraging students to focus on U.S. history.

The White House announced a series of grants intended to encourage the teaching of U.S. history and civic education, and another program to make the documents compiled by the National Archives available on the Internet.

During his stop at the school, Bush took part in a nationwide recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance that commemorated the 215th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

“This pledge takes on a special meaning in a time of war. Our enemies hate these words,” he said.

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Times staff writers John Hendren and Richard Simon in Washington contributed to this report.