Supplemental Battle, The
Officer, The, Jul/Aug 2009 by Hanson, Marshall A
Before Congress passes the defense budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010, it will address the supplemental budget for FY 09. It is differences in legislation that make Capitol Hill interesting. The House and Senate both develop their own versions of the bill. The differences are then handled in conference, sometimes with compromise, other times with debate.
Both chambers passed supplemental bills in May 2009. The House passed H. R. 2346 with $96.7 billion in spending on a vote of 368 to 60. The Senate passed its version, S. 1 054, for about $91.2 billion. The conference will determine what remains in the bill and what the final dollar amount will be.
A conference fight is expected. The House bill includes $2.2 billion for eight C-17 military transport aircraft, the production of which Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wanted to end. ROA members supported the C-17 in a letter campaign to Congress. Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel lnouye (D-Hawaii) indicated that he doesn’t want to include equipment add-ons in the supplemental. The House bill adds $904 million for 11 C-130s, while the Senate provides six C-12 aircraft to the Air Force for irregular warfare missions.
Operation and Maintenance from the Senate is $33.8 billion, whereas the House provides the Active Component $23 billion, $178.5 million for the Army National Guard, and $191 million for the Reserve. The House provides personnel funding at nearly $16 billion for the Active Component, $1.5 billion for the National Guard, and $467 million for the Reserve. The Senate allows a total of $18 billion.
The House funds procurement at $23 billion; the Senate, at $21.9 billion. Though both chambers provide White House-requested funds for four F-22 aircraft, the Senate provides dollars for unfunded Marine buy phentermine 37.5 LW 155 howitzers. The House provides $4.8 billion for mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles, whereas the Senate provides just $4.2 billion. Both bills provide $1.5 billion to replenish ammunition and missiles stockpiles. The Senate provides money for the Army’s family of tactical trucks and also funds $1 .55 billion for M-ATVs, while the House bill provides money to replace helicopters.
The House’s supplemental bill includes $500 million for National Guard and Reserve equipment and requires Guard and Reserve chiefs to submit to the congressional defense committees a listing of items of equipment to be procured within 60 days of the bill’s final passage. The Senate also includes $500 million for funding equipment, and money for Guard and Reserve training and personnel.
Another area of difference in the two bills is money for foreign security forces. While the House and Senate agree on a dollar amount for Afghanistan at $3.6 billion and $400 million to Pakistan for its Counterinsurgency Capability Fund, there is a difference over Iraq. The Senate wants to give $1 billion for the Iraqi security forces, whereas the House doesn’t furnish money to the security forces. Instead, the House plan provides $482 million for stabilization programs that strengthen governance and rule of law, and $486 million for diplomatic operations. The House also offers $350 million for an Iraq freedom fund to allow the Department of Defense a rapid response for “unforeseen warfighter needs.”
The House adds $80 million for State Department operations in Afghanistan to accelerate the civilian presence there. The House would also give the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development $10 billion for international affairs and stabilization programs. The Senate provides the State Department only $6.9 billion. The House bill includes $1.4 billion for the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt, and Lebanon, while the Senate offers 36 percent less.
The House proposal does not contain any funding for the International Monetary Fund (IMF), whereas the Senate increases the U.S
Oct 15, 2009
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