The $578 Billion Defense Budget for Fiscal Year 2017 (H.R. 1301)

What is H.R. 1301?

(Updated May 20, 2020)

This bill was enacted on February 9, 2018

This bill would authorize $577.9 billion in defense spending for fiscal year 2017, a total that’s $5.2 billion more than what was enacted in 2016 and $1.6 billion more than the Obama administration’s budget request. Of this, base discretionary funding rose by $2 billion to $516.1 billion, and Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) / Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) funding increased by $3.2 billion to $61.8 billion.

Military Personnel and Pay: $132.1 billion would be spent to provide for 1,305,000 active-duty troops and 813,200 Guard and Reserve troops. Troop reductions that had been included in the Obama administration’s defense budget for FY 2017 would be denied, and military pay would increase by 2.1 percent instead of 1.6 percent as per the Obama administration’s proposal.

Operation and Maintenance: $215.3 billion would be spent on operation and maintenance, with $167.6 billion in base funding and $47.7 billion for OCO/GWOT requirements. It would support additional readiness programs to prepare troops for combat and peacetime missions, training, and maintaining facilities and equipment.

Equipment Procurement: $117.8 billion would be provided for equipment and upgrades, of which $108.4 billion would come from base funding and $9.4 billion for OCO/GWOT requirements. This funding goes toward providing the platforms, weapons, and equipment the military needs to train and conduct successful operations. The biggest line items of this section include $21.2 billion for 13 Navy ships, $8.2 billion for 74 F-35 aircraft, $1.1 billion for 14 F-18 Super Hornet aircraft; $1.1 billion for 61 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. Additionally, $600.7 million would go to Israel Cooperative Programs.

Research and Development: $72.7 billion — $407 million of which is OCO/GWOT funding — would go to research, development, testing and evaluation of new defense technologies. Among the programs on which research and development would focus are the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the GPS III operational control and space segments, the new Air Force bomber program, a next-generation JSTARS aircraft, the RQ-4 Triton drone, and the Ohio-class submarine replacement.

Argument in favor

This defense spending package would provide for the operational needs of the military and ensure that America’s troops continue to have a technological edge on the battlefield.

Argument opposed

This defense spending package unnecessarily increases funding for the military by billions of dollars that could be better spent on domestic priorities.

Impact

The U.S. Armed Forces; and the Dept. of Defense.

Cost of H.R. 1301

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Rodney Freylinghuysen (R-NJ) introduced this bill to provide the funding the military needs to keep its readiness and defend America against threats around the world:

“The singular most important duty of Congress is to provide for our nation’s defense, and the rebuilding of our nation’s military starts with this bill. This legislation provides responsible funding to ensure that our troops have the resources they need to remain the very best in the world, and to fulfill the mission of protecting our country and our way of life. Enacting this essential legislation into law is paramount to our security.”

Media:

• House Appropriations Committee Press Release
  
• FCW
  
• IHS Jane’s 360