President Hails Defense Bill for Cutting Wasteful Spending; Also Includes Hate Crimes Protections Tied to Sexual Orientation
Russian Officials Sporting Watches Worth Up to $1 Million
ABC's Alexander Marquardt reports from Moscow: When Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was on vacation in Siberia in August, he decided he wanted to give a gift to the son of a shepherd he had tea with. So he took...
'Change:' Defense spending, hate crimes
by Mark Silva
"The Pentagon is not the kind of place that can turn on a dime,'' says Defense Secretary Robert Gates, hailing the signing of a defense-spending bill that targets wasteful spending and unneeded weapons. "It will take more than a single budget to get where we need to be.''
Nor can American society turn on a dime.
Ask the parents of Matthew Shepard, the Wyoming college student killed over a decade ago because he was gay. They attended the signing of a defense bill today that also adds gay Americans to those protected from hate crimes under federal laws.
"After more than a decade... of delay, we have passed inclusive hate-crimes legislation that protects victims from violence based on what they look like, who they love, or who they are,'' President Barack Obama said at the bill signing this afternoon. "I promised Judy Shepard... that this day would come. I'm happy that she and her husband Dennis could join us at this event.''
The $680-billion defense billfor fiscal 2010, which includes $130 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but leaves out $2 billion for F-22 fighter jets that the Pentagon didn't want and bars a lot of no-bid contracting that has run up prices for other work, is a first step toward reform of a waste-laden Defense Department, Obama and Gates said today.
"I have always rejected the notion that we have to waste billions of dollars of taxpayers' dollars to keep this nation secure,'' Obama said.
"This bill isn't perfect,'' he said. "There are still more cuts we need to make... fights we need to win.... (but) there were a lot of people in this town who didn't think it was possible... who were certain we would get steamrolled... Today, we're putting an end to some wasteful projects that some lawmakers have tried to kill for years.''
The bill takes a stance against no-bid contracts and entrenched lobbyists "pushing weapons that even our military says it doesn't want or doesn't need,'' he said. " At a time when we're facing two wars and an increasing deficit, it's inexcusable. It's unconscionable.''
Both the spending bill and the hate-crimes legislation attached will be hailed by the White House as elements of change that Obama promised with his election as president.
"We have proved that change is possible,'' the president said at the signing. "It may not come quickly or all at once, but if you push hard enough, it does come quickly.''
Off-Year Elections In NY, NJ And VA
In New York, candidates face off in the 23rd congressional district in a special election for the seat once held by John McHugh. And in New Jersey and Virginia, governorships are up for grabs. Also, cities across the country, notably New York City, will elect new mayors.
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