Defense: FY2008 Authorization and Appropriations
Abstract
The President's FY2008 federal budget request, released February 5, 2007, included $647.2 billion in new budget authority for national defense. In addition to $483.2 billion for the regular operations of the Department of Defense (DOD), the request includes $141.7 billion for continued military operations, primarily to fund the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan, $17.4 billion for the nuclear weapons and other defense-related programs of the Department of Energy, and $5.2 billion for defense-related activities of other agencies. The House passed on May 17 its version of H.R. 1585, authorizing $1.2 billion more than the President's request. The bill would cut hundreds of millions of dollars from several technologically advanced weapons programs while increasing funds for improvements in U.S. forces near-term combat capabilities. On July 25, the Senate passed H.R. 1538 after amending that bill to incorporate two provisions of the defense authorization bill being debated by the Senate: the so-called Dignified Treatment for Wounded Warriors amendment, itself an amended version of S. 1606, and a provision of the authorization bill that would authorize a 3.5% military pay increase, effective October 1, 2007. In related action, the House Appropriations Committee marked up the FY2008 defense appropriations bill on July 25. The (unnumbered) bill would appropriate $459.6 billion for DOD's base budget, excluding the cost of military construction which is funded in a separate bill (H.R. 2642, S. 1645) and excluding projected FY2008 war costs, which the house plans to deal with a separate bill, in September. According to the Committee, the defense funding bill would provide $3.5 billion less than the President requested for operations within the scope of that legislation. Senate action on the FY2008 defense appropriations bill has not yet been scheduled. This report will be updated as events warrant.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 30, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA471241
Entities
People
- Amy Belasco
- Pat Towell
- Stephen Daggett
Organizations
- Library of Congress