Funding the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2016 (H.R. 2685)

This particular piece of legislation should not be confused with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 — which authorized military spending levels, not the actual spending itself that is appropriated by this legislation.

Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)

The Global War on Terrorism account would receive $88.4 billion in funding — the amount assumed by the House and Senate budget conference agreement. These resources are used to prepare and deploy U.S. military forces overseas. It funds personnel, vehicle modifications, additional intelligence and surveillance assets, facilities maintenance, and aircraft replacement. It also funds allies (like Ukraine and Jordan) to resist aggression by their neighbors.

Military Personnel and Pay

This section would total $133.2 billion to maintain personnel levels at 1,308,915 active-duty troops and 819,200 Guard and reserve troops. This is an increase of $225 million above the previous fiscal year. Rather than a 1.3 percent pay raise for the military as requested by the President, this bill gives troops a 2.3 percent raise — and also funds 100 percent of troop housing costs.

Operation and Maintenance

$2.6 billion above the President’s budget request, this bill would fund operations and maintenance with $218.8 billion. $3.2 billion would go to fill readiness shortfalls, and $1.4 billion would be set aside for investments in facility sustainment, restoration, and modernization.

Research and Development

This bill authorizes $67.9 billion for the research, development, testing, and evaluation of new defense technologies. This is an increase of $4 billion from fiscal year 2015.

Among the projects that would receive funding under this section 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 unmanned aerial vehicle; the Navy’s Future Unmanned Carrier-based Strike System; the Ohio Class submarine replacement; Stryker lethality; and Israeli Cooperative Programs.

Equipment 

$116.7 billion in funding would go towards stocking up on equipment — $98.6 billion of which is base funding and $18.1 billion is GWOT funding. This amount increased from the previous fiscal year by $12.5 billion and is $3 billion above the President’s budget request.

This bill allows the military to use funding for: nine Navy ships including three Littoral Combat Ships and two guided missile destroyers totalling $16.9 billion; $8.4 billion for 65 F-35 aircraft; $1.2 billion for 64 AH-64 helicopters; $3 billion for 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft; $1.6 billion for 102 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters; $2.3 billion for 12 KC-46 tanker aircraft; $660 million for seven EA-18G Growlers and $350 million for five F/A-18 Super Hornets (both aircraft); $315 million for Stryker lethality upgrades; and $55 million for the Israeli Cooperative Program Iron Dome.

Defense Health and Military Family Programs

There would $31.7 billion set aside for the Defense Health Program, which provides care for troops, military families, and retirees. This is $813 million below the President’s request, and $667 million less than the fiscal year 2015 enacted level — but covers estimated needs and requirements for fiscal year 2016.

Of this total, $252 million would go toward cancer research, $105 million to medical facility upgrades, $100 million for traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, $212 million for suicide prevention outreach programs, and $283 million for sexual assault prevention and response — all of which are increased beyond the President’s request.

Military Force Structure

This legislation ensures that the A-10 Warthog remains available for close air support, and also maintains the Army National Guard’s end strength and full-time support levels do not fall below what was established during the previous fiscal year.

Savings and Reductions to the President’s Request

Savings would come from the following areas: $1.15 billion from favorable foreign currency fluctuations, $814 million from lower than expected fuel costs, and $870 million in savings from rescissions of unused prior-year funding.