The Senate Appropriations Committee completed its markup of the Fiscal Year 2010 Defense Appropriations bill on September 9. The bill includes $497.6 billion for the Department of Defense’s annual “base” budget (not including funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan). This is roughly $3.5 billion below the Obama Administration’s request ($501.1 billion) and $15.4 billion above current levels.

In addition, beginning with its Fiscal Year 2010 budget submission, the Defense Department includes funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which were previously funded separately, as part of its annual budget request. For FY 2010, the Administration requested $128.6 billon for “Overseas Contingency Operations,” funds which primarily support continued military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Committee approved $128.2 billion, $347 million below the request.

This bill does NOT include funding for military construction, military housing, or nuclear weapons activities of the Department of Energy, which are funded through other appropriations bills.

The full Senate may begin consideration of the legislation as early as today. The House completed consideration of its version of the legislation (H.R. 3326) on July 30.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Defense Health Care – Provides $28.3 billion, $408 million above the Administration’s request and $2.5 billion more than FY 2009.
• Military Pay Raise – The bill includes a 3.4 percent pay raise, 0.5 percent above the administration’s request
• C-17 Transport – Adds $2.5 billion in unrequested funds for 10 C-17 aircraft.
• F-22 “Raptor” Fighter Aircraft – Contains no funding for additional F-22 aircraft, but includes a provision that allows the Defense Department to develop an export version of the aircraft.
• JSF Engines – Provides no funds to support a second source for the Joint Strike Fighter’s propulsion system.
• Shipbuilding --  Adds $1.7 billion in unrequested funds for a second DDG-51 “Arleigh Burke” class destroyer, and cuts the request for the Littoral Combat Ship from three to two vessels.
• Guard and Reserve Equipment – Provides $1.5 billion in unrequested funds to address equipment shortfalls in the National Guard and Reserve.

FUNDING PROVISIONS

Total Funding (Excluding Overseas Contingency Operations)

Request: $501.091 billion

Committee: $497.594 billion ($3.497 billion below the request)

Personnel

Request: $125.3 billion

Committee: $124.8 billion ($448 million below the request)

Operations & Maintenance

Request: $156.4 billion

Committee: $154.0 billion ($2.438 billion below the request)

Procurement

Request: $105.2 billion

Committee: $108.0 billion ($2.8 billion above the request)

Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation

Request: $78.6 billion

Committee: $78.5 billion ($184 million below the request)

Revolving and Management Funds

Request: $3.1 billion

Committee: $2.7 billion

Other Defense Programs (including defense healthcare)

Request: $31.4 billion

Committee: $31.2 billion

MAJOR WEAPONS SYSTEMS

Ballistic Missile Defense (Missile Defense Agency only)

Request: $7.7 billion

Committee: $7.7 billion

TACTICAL AIRCRAFT

F/A-22 “Raptor” Fighter

Request: $95.2 million

Committee: $3.2 billion for 20 aircraft

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

Request: $6.0 billion for procurement of 30 aircraft (20 Navy, ten Air Force)

Committee: $6.0 billion for procurement of 30 aircraft (20 Navy, ten Air Force)

NOTE: The committee included no funding for continued development of an alternative engine source for the aircraft.

F/A-18E/F “Super Hornet” Fighter

Request: $1.0 billion for 9 aircraft

Committee: $1.0 billion for 9 aircraft

EA-18G Jamming Aircraft

Request: $1.6 billion for 22 aircraft

Committee: $1.6 billion for 22 aircraft

V-22 “Osprey” Tilt-rotor

Request: $2.2 billion for 30 Marine Corps aircraft, and $437 million for five Air Force aircraft

Committee: $2.2 billion for 30 Marine Corps aircraft, and $437 million for five Air Force aircraft

C-17 Transport

Request: $88.5 million

Committee: $2.6 billion for 10 aircraft

C-130J Transport Aircraft

Request: $285.6 million for three Air Force aircraft

Committee: $285.6 million for three Air Force aircraft

Joint Cargo Aircraft

Request: $319.1 million for eight aircraft

Committee: $319.1 million for eight aircraft

SHIPBUILDING

Aircraft Carrier Replacement Program [CVN-21]

Request: $739.3 million

Committee: $739.3 million

DD-1000 “Zumwalt” Destroyer [DD(x)]

Request: $1.1 billion

Committee: $1.4 billion ($321 million above the request)

NOTE: The requested funding is to complete the third and final ship in this class

DDG-51 “Arleigh Burke” Destroyer

Request: $1.9 billion for one vessel

Committee: $3.65 billion for two vessels

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

Request: $1.4 billion for three vessels

Committee: $1.1 billion for two vessels )$300 million below the request)

LPD-17 “San Antonio” Amphibious Assault Ship

Request: $872.4 million

Committee: $872.4 million

LHA Replacement Vessel

Request: no new funding requested

Committee: $170 million in advanced procurement

SSN-774 “Virginia” Class Submarine

Request: $1.96 billion for 1 vessel

Committee: $1.96 billion for 1 vessel

NOTE: The committee also includes $1.96 billion for advanced procurement of an additional vessel, the amount requested

ARMY PROGRAMS

Stryker Armored Vehicle

Request: $388.6 million

Committee $364.2 million

Future Combat System

Request: $2.9 billion

Committee: N/A

UH-60 “Blackhawk” Helicopters

Request: $1.3 billion for 79 aircraft

Committee: $1.3 billion for 79 aircraft

Light Utility Helicopter

Request: $326.0 million for 54 aircraft

Committee: $326.0 million for 54 aircraft

HMMWV “Hummer” High Mobility Vehicle

Request: $281.1 million for 1,770 vehicles

Committee: $282.3 million for 1,770 vehicles

FUNDING FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS (Title IX)

As part of its FY 2010 budget submission, the Administration requested $128.6 billon for “Overseas Contingency Operations,” funds which primarily support continued combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Committee approved $128.2 billion, $347 million below the request.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Afghanistan Security Forces – Provides $6.6 billion for Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, $900 million below the request.
• Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) – Provides $2.03 billion for the Joint IED Defeat Fund (JIEDDF), $498.6 million above the request.
• Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAP) – Includes $6.7 billion for the MRAP program, $1.2 billion more than requested.
• Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP) -- Provides $1.2 billion ($300 million below the request) for CERP, which allows U.S. officers to finance urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction requirements in their area of responsibility (AOR). $1 billion is for CERP in Afghanistan, and $200 million in Iraq.

FUNDING PROVISIONS

Total Funding

Request: $128.6 billion

Committee: $128.2 billion ($374 million below the request)

Personnel

Request: $14.1 billion

Committee: $14.1 billion ($41 million below the request)

Operations & Maintenance

Request: $89.3 billion

Committee: $86.9 billion ($2.371 billion below the request)

Procurement

Request: $21.3 billion

Committee: $22.2 billion ($875 million above the request)

Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation

Request: $310.3 million

Committee: $293.6 billion ($16.7 million below the request)

Revolving and Management Funds

Request: $396.9 million

Committee: $412.2 million ($15.3 million above the request)

Other Defense Programs

Request: $3.12 billion

Committee: $3.96 billion ($835 million above the request)

WEAPONS PROCUREMENT

F/A-18E/F “Super Hornet” Fighter

Request: none

Committee: $512.3 million for 9 aircraft

HMMWV “Hummer” High Mobility Vehicle

Request: $875.7 million

Committee: $875.7 million

Sources:   Defense Department’s Fiscal Year 2010 budget request, Senate Appropriations Committee press release (September 9, 2009), H.R. 3326 and accompanying Senate Committee Report (No. 111-74).