Senate Committee Advances $852.2 Billion Defense Budget Bill

The Senate Appropriations Committee has proposed a $852.2 billion defense budget for fiscal year 2025, which is $21 billion higher than the House version. This proposal was advanced during a mark-up hearing on Aug. 1. The bill includes increased funding for shipbuilding, critical missiles, torpedoes, and various military programs compared to President Biden’s budget request. Additionally, it provides additional funding for the U.S. Air Force and Navy for procurement and modernization efforts. The Senate bill exceeds last year’s defense appropriations bill by $27.7 billion. However, it may lead to a budget fight with the House, as the Senate has moved to exceed budget caps under emergency justifications. Senator Tester and Senator Collins pushed for a larger budget increase, citing the need to keep pace with inflation and address unfunded defense requirements. The Senate’s proposal includes an extra $21 billion in defense spending and $13.5 billion in non-defense spending under emergency authorities. The reaction from the House, particularly the fiscally conservative House Freedom Caucus, remains to be seen. The Epoch Times attempted to contact Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, for a statement but did not receive a response before the article was published.

Source link