Summary of Latest FY 2018 Defense Appropriations Act

The House of Representatives will consider the FY2018 Defense Appropriations Act this week, for the third time.  The bill is nearly identical to the Defense bill contained within the National Security Consolidated Appropriations Act (HR 3219) passed by the House on July 27th, which Democrats opposed by a vote of 187-5. 

Considering this legislation - rather than advancing a responsible, bipartisan budget agreement raising caps for both defense and nondefense investments - is a waste of time and an abdication of responsibility.  Every hour we spend on redundant and incomplete legislation that cannot be enacted into law is an hour not spent on reaching a budget agreement that will allow Appropriators to write a responsible, bipartisan spending package.

Funding:

Total funding: $659 billion, which is $61 billion more than the FY2017 enacted level and $28 billion more than the President’s revised FY2018 budget request.

Within that total, the bill contains:

• $584 billion in base funding, which is $68 billion more than the FY2017 enacted level and $18 billion more than the President’s revised FY2018 request; and
• $75 billion in Overseas Contingency Operation (OCO) funding, which is $7 billion less than the FY2017 enacted level and $10 million more than the President’s revised FY2018 request.

For a detailed breakdown of funding by account, please click here.

Changes:

There are two notable differences between this bill and legislation that the House considered last year:

• The bill contains an additional $1.184 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding for an additional 3,500 troops in Afghanistan, and costs associated with this increased presence:
• The bill eliminates the defense sequester for FY2018, allowing a higher defense spending level than currently permitted under statutory caps established by the Budget Control Act.  The bill does not eliminate nondefense sequestration.

Instead of continuing this failed approach, Republican leadership should engage with Democrats to reach a budget agreement that raises caps on both defense and nondefense investments, so the Appropriations Committee can write a responsible, bipartisan spending package.