Earlier this week we reported here on Hot Dish that Sen. Al Franken's so-called "rape" amendment survived a key hurdle when it was included in the final defense spending bill. That bill has since been passed in the House and is awaiting a final vote in the Senate.

In broad terms, the amendment would bar federal funding of defense contractors that prevent employees from suing over sexual assault and other grievances – forcing them instead into arbitration.

Though the substance of Franken's amendment remains largely intact, we pointed out two changes in the revised version of the bill – noteworthy because of reports that it would be nixed or softened in conference. Since that post, however, blogger Brian Faughnan alerted us to one other change which he addressed on theconservatives.com.

Unlike the original bill, which imposed arbitration limits on companies receiving 2010 defense funds under "existing or new" federal contracts, the revised bill is slightly narrower. Only companies that sign federal defense contracts 60 days after the bill becomes law would be forced to change their arbitration practices across the board.

So if a company signs no new federal defense contracts in the next year, then they are exempt from the arbitration limitation this year, Franken's spokester Jess McIntosh confirmed. McIntosh argued that the legislation has the same effect because of how often large defense companies sign government contracts.

But will Franken's amendment affect KBR, the former employer of the inspiration for the bill? It's highly probable, though they have to sign a new contract. KBR reps said that they currently have 33 active contracts with the federal government but added that they "cannot speculate on future contract wins."

The new bill also forces companies that sign new contracts 180 days after final passage to keep their subcontractors in line with the Franken language.

Since Franken's amendment addresses 2010 defense spending, it will need to be renewed every year for the arbitration limitations to stay in effect.

Hot Dish missed the change, though so did just about everyone else who reported on the revised bill.