Dempsey presses Congress to act on defense bill

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s top military leader pleaded with Congress on Monday to complete the defense bill before year’s end as Democrats and Republicans on the Armed Services committees reached agreement on compromise legislation to pay for warfighters, ships and aircraft.

Ramping up the pressure on House and Senate leaders, the panels’ top members unveiled a comprehensive, $632.8 billion bill that increases personnel pay by 1 percent, covers the cost of the war in Afghanistan and takes steps to address the epidemic of sexual assault in the military.