Must-pass defense bill ensnared in culture wars

“It’s going to open up a long series of deliberations and negotiations that have the potential to really delay this process,” said Kyleanne Hunter, a senior political scientist at the Rand Corp.

Ideally, this is supposed to be done by October.

But if it’s not, “there won’t be any new innovation, there won’t be any new advancement. We are in a holding pattern for acquiring new gear and technologies that could be essential to our national security,” Hunter said.

And, Hunter said, this messy process sends a bad message to our allies and people who might be considering serving in the military.

Read and listen to the full story from Marketplace.