In Decemeber, President Bush claimed to pocket veto the defense authorization bill because his administration concluded -- after the bill was passed --that a provision in the bill would "imperil" Iraqi assets in the U.S. (of course, the administration's panic attack over pissing off the Iraqi government isn't necessarily supported by the facts). But the administration scrambled to dispose of the bill nonetheless, and now the military is facing the headaches and consequences:

The Army has temporarily halted bonus payments for more than 20 enlistment, re-enlistment and service extension programs pending enactment of authorizing legislation. [...]

If enacted as currently written, the legislation would authorize $696.3 billion in defense spending during 2008, including $1 billion for Army accession and retention bonuses.

Until a new version of the legislation is enacted, all new bonus agreements signed on, or after, Jan. 1 must include an addendum that stipulates the soldier’s eligibility for a future bonus.

However, the addendum also stipulates that the bonus is not guaranteed. Payments will not be made if the affected bonus program is not authorized in the final budget compromise. [...]

Soldiers whose service contracts expire during the impasse have the option of extending month by month until the problem is worked out, or sign a service agreement on the assumption that a new authorization bill will be enacted.