Defense bill passed by US House could allow easier contracts with tech firms like Apple
Major high-tech corporations like Apple could potentially reap new and easier military contracts under a bill approved by the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday.
One part of the bill -- negotiated by defense leaders in the House and Senate -- would make it easier for the Department of Defense to buy commercial technology, Bloomberg reported. Companies like Apple, in turn, would not have to share any proprietary pricing information.
The bill may be unlikely to pass in its current state, however. Bloomberg noted that it still has to pass through the Senate, and President Barack Obama has threatened a veto, in part because it would enable $38 billion in one-time war funds as a way of circumventing a 2011 budget deal. Obama is pursuing a different budget arrangement that would raise the spending ceilings on both civilian and military programs.
In all, the present bill would cost the government and taxpayers $611.8 billion, much of which would be funneled towards contractors like Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop Grumman. A new version could be submitted in the coming weeks, if Congress and the Obama administration manage to negotiate a compromise.
Though the U.S. military occasionally uses Apple products, relatively few partnerships have been struck. Most recently Apple became a member of the FlexTech Alliance, a group of 162 organizations collaborating with the Pentagon on flexible electronics.
One part of the bill -- negotiated by defense leaders in the House and Senate -- would make it easier for the Department of Defense to buy commercial technology, Bloomberg reported. Companies like Apple, in turn, would not have to share any proprietary pricing information.
The bill may be unlikely to pass in its current state, however. Bloomberg noted that it still has to pass through the Senate, and President Barack Obama has threatened a veto, in part because it would enable $38 billion in one-time war funds as a way of circumventing a 2011 budget deal. Obama is pursuing a different budget arrangement that would raise the spending ceilings on both civilian and military programs.
In all, the present bill would cost the government and taxpayers $611.8 billion, much of which would be funneled towards contractors like Boeing, Lockheed, and Northrop Grumman. A new version could be submitted in the coming weeks, if Congress and the Obama administration manage to negotiate a compromise.
Though the U.S. military occasionally uses Apple products, relatively few partnerships have been struck. Most recently Apple became a member of the FlexTech Alliance, a group of 162 organizations collaborating with the Pentagon on flexible electronics.
Comments
Grow up human race.
Unfortunately, war will always be part of the human race.
So
Unfortunately, war will always be part of the human race.
Well then, fortunately, at the rate we are going we won't be around much longer. Problems often work themselves out.
Well then, fortunately, at the rate we are going we won't be around much longer. Problems often work themselves out.
Humans have been at war for centuries. Unless there is a nuclear war, we will be around a while.
The rate that humans have been dying in armed conflict has been decreasing, not increasing, over the past century. And that isn't even accounting for the increase in the human population.
The rate that humans have been dying in armed conflict has been decreasing, not increasing, over the past century. And that isn't even accounting for the increase in the human population.
That is true if you see war as the threat to human existence. War is not the threat.
Humans have been at war for centuries. Unless there is a nuclear war, we will be around a while.
War is not the issue. Mankind has been around for a mere fraction of the time the planet has existed, only 6 million years, modern man 200,000 years and been civilized for 6,000. The dinosaurs were around 135 million. However the dinosaurs were not doing anything to destroy the envionment they depended on. There are more effective and efficient ways for mankind to snuff itself out, then war.
He believes he can fly, he believes he can touch the sky.
Nice photo, but why is the guy sunbathing with his clothes on?
Enhanced tanning techniques developed at Langley.
Not according to half the US Congress