Defense News reports that “US Senate appropriators are aiming to take up their 2015 Pentagon spending measure just after Independence Day, says Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.”  

“’First week of July,’ the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee chairman said as he ducked into an elevator near the Senate chamber. ‘That’s the goal.’”  

“The coming markup will be Durbin’s second since his surprising ascension to subcommittee chairman. Since, defense firms have upped their campaign contributions to the Senate majority whip.”  

“The House’s full Appropriations Committee likely will take up its version of the 2015 defense appropriations bill next week, an aide says. Its defense subpanel last week approved a version that would give the Defense Department $570.4 billion.”