House rolls out $761 billion defense funding bill tracking Biden request
The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday fired the opening salvo within the battle over defense {dollars} with the discharge of a proposed blueprint for the approaching fiscal year that funds a variety of weapons techniques, offers new safety help to Ukraine and consists of a variety of hot-button coverage provisions as effectively.
Included within the $761.681 billion bundle are measures to stop withholding depart for navy members in search of an abortion, offering funds for renaming bases named after Confederate leaders, and repairing faculties on navy installations, amongst different packages.
The fiscal 2023 defense appropriations bill “is a responsible investment in our national security that will keep our nation strong and the American people safe,” stated Rep. Betty McCollum, the Minnesota Democrat who chairs the Appropriations panel’s defense subcommittee.
Procurement is the most important chunk of the price range at $143.9 billion. The determine quantities to a lower of $1 billion beneath the FY2022 stage. The spending bill will fund greater than 60 F-35 Lightning II fighters; together with the request for B-21 Raider procurement and 18 F-15 EX fighters to recapitalize the Air Force’s F-15 C/D fleet, in response to lawmakers.
The committee stated it held 18 hearings — each public and closed — to collect data from the Biden administration earlier than writing the laws.
The House bill additionally prohibits the Pentagon from decommissioning 5 Littoral Combat Ships and directs the creation of a report on alternate makes use of, resembling missions in Latin America-focused U.S. Southern Command or U.S. Africa Command. It would additionally present $1 billion to empty the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii, web site of an embarrassing leak final year for the Navy, and pay for enhancements to the infrastructure.
