Nelson removes name from 21st Century earmark

An earmark by Sen. Ben Nelson in the pending Defense spending budget will still contain $7.5 million for 21st Century Systems Inc., but will no longer have Nelson's name as a sponsor.

21st Century Systems Inc. is based in Omaha and has an office in McCook.

Sen. Nelson has withdrawn his name from the earmark, but the project is still included in the bill, said David DiMartino of Sen. Nelson's office.

According to a story in the Omaha World Herald, Nelson wrote in a letter to a Senate committee chairman that he didn't believe that the earmark would violate a new ethics rule but that his decision to withdraw them "eliminates an opportunity for political mischief by those who want to create a perceived conflict of interest."

He added that he was acting out of caution because of ethics legislation approved last week by the House and Senate.

The Senate passed an ethics legislation last week that tightens rules on lobbying and earmarks, prohibiting senators from receiving earmarks that benefit only the senators or senator's families. Nelson's son is a marketing director at 21st CSI.

21st Century develops high-technology software products for the military.

DiMartino said the project for 21st CSI is still included in the earmark, unless it is voted to be deleted by Senate. The Defense spending bill will be debated again sometime in September, he said.

The House approved modest changes to President Bush's record Pentagon budget proposal early Sunday, but Democrats signaled plans to resume a more contentious debate over the Iraq war after the August recess, according to the Associated Press.

The House's $459.6 billion version of the defense budget, approved on a 395-13 vote, would add money for equipment for the National Guard and Reserve, provide for 12,000 additional soldiers and Marines, and increase spending for defense health care and military housing.

They adjourned until after Labor Day minutes after the vote a little over an hour past midnight.

The measure does not include Bush's 2008 funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Democrats say they want to consider that money in separate legislation in September. This approach would set the stage for a major clash over the war; Democrats are likely to try to impose conditions on the money.

Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., a point man on military matters for Democrats, told reporters this past week that he backs only short-term extensions of war spending.

The massive military measure represents a nearly $40 billion increase over current levels. The Pentagon would get another several-billion-dollar budget increase through a companion measure covering military base construction and a recent round of base closures.

The defense legislation largely endorses Bush's plans for major weapons systems such as the next generation Joint Strike Fighter and the F-22 Raptor fighter jet, which has been beset by cost overruns.