The situation changed dramatically for both Rumsfeld and the budget following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in September 2001. Wishing to avoid conflict with the president, Congress passed a $343.3 billion defense bill that gave President Bush much of what he asked for, including $8.3 billion for missile defense. Funds to combat terrorism were increased from $1 billion to $7 billion. The contentious issues of base closing was sidestepped by the creation of a new commission that would make recommendations on which bases to close. Bowing to House opposition to further base closing the White House agreed that the commission would begin its work in 2005 rather than 2003 as Bush wanted. Despite rumors that he had been seriously weakened politically by his failure to achieve significant military reforms, Rumsfeld now become one of the key administration decision makers in pursuing the war against terrorism in Afghanistan.