WASHINGTON — Congress has yet to tackle 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, though with a new president taking office in January, progress on those bills appears unlikely before the year is out.

Democratic leaders in the House are likely to hold off on most, if not all, of the bills as they wait to see who wins the presidential election in November. Should Democratic nominee Barack Obama win, Democrats will have an easier time seeing their funding priorities passed without the threat of a veto.

In the meantime, said Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Congress probably will pass a continuing resolution that will keep funding level for at least six months.

“I can see politically why they do it,” Rep. Wamp said. “I don’t necessarily see it being good for the country, because there are things, like alternative energy research, that need an infusion of money.”

Republicans also say Democrats are putting off the appropriations bills because they don’t want to allow Republicans to attach any oil drilling amendments.

TUKE: MILITARY BACKGROUND A PLUS

Democrat Bob Tuke, a Nashville attorney, is campaigning heavily on his military experience in his bid to unseat Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn.

Mr. Tuke is a Vietnam War veteran and earlier this year walked the state wearing his combat boots.

“I fought in the last war that we needed to end, so I know what the ground commanders are dealing with to complete their missions and bring their people back,” he said.

He also said he would focus on veterans’ benefits, if elected.

“Like (Sens.) Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), I’ll take care of our veterans,” Mr. Tuke said. “Besides, Chuck Hagel’s retiring after this year, so we’ll need another veteran in the Senate. Even though he’s a Republican, he’s a good man.”

ISAKSON SAYS NO TO HORSE MEAT

Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., recently returned from a trip to Central Asia led by Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that included stops in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

It’s safe to say he wasn’t a fan of the food.

“It was horse and camel,” he said.

How were they prepared?

“I don’t know because I didn’t eat it,” he said. “I’m just not going to eat a horse. I stuck to the vegetarian diet.”

Besides the cuisine, he said the trip was informative.

Kyrgyzstan is where many U.S. armed forces deployed in anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan are based.

Kazakhstan, meanwhile, has been enriched with its exploitation of oil and gas reserves.

“We got good insights into our efforts in Afghanistan and a chance to thank Kyrgyzstan for letting us operate our military operations out of their country,” Sen. Isakson said. “Kazakhstan was very modern, and we saw their new capital city they built from scratch with oil proceeds.”

Compiled by Washington correspondent Herman Wang.

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