Spending $675 Billion on Defense in FY2019 (House-Passed)

Because the Senate amended the House passed version of H.R. 6157 with its own $675 defense spending bill and its $179 billion health, education, and labor appropriations bill, we've transferred our summary of the House-passed version here for your reference.

Summary:

This bill would provide $674.6 billion in fiscal year 2019 funding for the Dept. of Defense (DOD) to pay for troops and equipment, an increase of $17.1 billion than FY18. Of the total, $606.5 billion would go to the base budget while $68.1 billion in funding would be for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) / Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) activities. A breakdown of where that funding would go can be found below.

MILITARY PERSONNEL & PAY

A total of $144 billion — $139.3 billion in base funding and $4.7 billion in OCO/GWOT — would be provided to fully-fund the 2.6 percent pay raise for the military and the increase of 15,600 end-strength personnel. End-strength personnel levels would total 1,338,100 active-duty troops and 817,700 Guard and Reserve troops.

OCO / GWOT

The $68.1 billion provided under this section would go to resources needed for preparation and operations in the field to fight ongoing threats. This would include personnel requirements, operational needs, the purchase of new aircraft to replace combat losses, combat vehicle modifications, additional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, and maintenance of facilities & equipment. It’d also provide support to key allies such as Israel, Ukraine, and Jordan to resist aggression.

OPERATION & MAINTENANCE

A total of $245.9 billion would be provided for operation and maintenance, and increase of $9.3 billion from the prior year. Of the total, $197.6 billion would be for base budget requirements and $48.3 billion for OCO/GWOT requirements.

This funding would go to readiness programs to prepare troops for combat and peacetime missions, including flight time and battle training, equipment and facility maintenance, and base operations. An additional $1 billion of the budget request would be provided to fill readiness shortfalls; $1.05 billion to invest in facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization programs; as a total of $20.6 billion would go to depot maintenance.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

A total of $92.4 billion — including $91.2 billion for base requirements and $1.2 billion for OCO/GWOT — for research, development, testing, and evaluation of new defense systems and technologies. Funding for base requirements would be $2.9 billion above the prior year.

Specifically, the funding would support research and development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, space security programs, nuclear force modernization, the Ohio-class submarine replacement, Future Vertical Lift, the Israeli Cooperative Programs, and other programs including those within the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT

A total of $145.7 billion would be provided for equipment and upgrades, including $133 billion for base requirements and $12.7 billion for OCO/GWOT requirements. Specifically, it would provide:

• $22.7 billion for 12 Navy ships, including 3 guided missile destroyers;
• Two Virginia-class submarines;
• Three Littoral Combat Ships;
• $9.4 billion for 93 F-35 aircraft;
• $1.9 billion for 24 F-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft;
• $1.7 billion for 5 space launch and capability services;
• $1.5 billion for the upgrade of 85 Abrams tanks;
• $1.2 billion for 58 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

DEFENSE HEALTH & MILITARY FAMILY PROGRAMS

This section would provide $34.4 billion for the Defense Health Program and the troops, military families, and retirees who are its beneficiaries. Of the total, $34 billion is for base requirements and $352 million for OCO/GWOT requirements.

Specifically, it’d provide $364 million for cancer research, $125 million for traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, and $318 million for sexual assault prevention and response.

REDUCTIONS & RESCISSIONS

This section would rescind $870 million in unused funding from the prior year.

MISCELLANEOUS

• DOD would be required to submit a classified report on U.S. assistance to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen.
• DOD would be encouraged to continue the development and deployment of existing prototypes related to cybersituational awareness and electronic warfare capabilities.
• DOD would be encouraged to evaluate options for expanding military child care programs.

Impact:

Military personnel and their families; and the Dept. of Defense.

Cost:

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

In-Depth:

Sponsoring Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) introduced this bill to provide FY19 defense funding as the Chairwoman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, writing:

“The FY18 Defense Appropriations bill was turning point that enabled the military to start to rebuild after years of declining military readiness. This bill continues the progress we were able to make in FY18. It is a product of countless meetings and briefings with our military leaders and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the U.S. military is the strongest, most capable military in the world. Our military must have the resources it needs to respond to and deter threats from countries like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, and also counter violent extremists throughout the world. This bill does what General Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has asked, it ‘ensures the joint force has the depth, flexibility, readiness and responsiveness that ensures our men and women will never face a fair fight."

This legislation passed the House Appropriations Committee on a bipartisan 48-4 vote and the House as a whole on a 359-49 vote.

Media:

• House Appropriations Committee Press Release
• House Appropriations Committee Summary

Summary by Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: U.S. Army Photo by Capt. Charlie Emmons / Public Domain)