Serving papers
Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman are trying to pry data out of Secretary Rumsford's black bag. Either they think they can derail this BRAC round on procedural grounds -- no data ergo no action, or they think they can deflect the bullet by charm -- turn one of the "military value" variables and some other mole is whacked. They faxed a subpoena over to the SecDef's offices today.
Neither of them are prepared to point out that the Executive Branch does not appropriate. Should the Executive Branch choose to paint everything pink, it may, but it may not choose to double every other line in the appropriations, and zero out those between. The Executive Branch may not tranform the Navy into the Persian Gulf Yacht Club without Congressional consent, nor may it fund the land-based nuclear missile forces, the sea-based nuclear missile forces, and the nuclear bomber forces without Congressional consent, just as it may not send the Army on a snipe hunt without Congressional consent.
To win this one for the New England delegation, they're going to have to stop providing Congressional consent, and Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman both make a point of providing their consent, so its not likely to get down to beanballs and spikes.