Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Analysis of Senate Appropriations Committee Markup of the Second FY 2009 War Supplemental (S. 1054)

by Christopher Hellman [contact information]

May 20, 2009

On May 14, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $94.3 billion emergency supplemental appropriations bill for the latter part of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, which ends on September 30. The bill includes $73 billion for the Department of Defense, primarily to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which is roughly $700 million less than the amount sought by the administration. In addition to funding combat operations, the bill provides $6.878 billion for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and $1.5 billion for Pandemic Flu Response.

The second supplemental comes in addition to the $65.9 billion “bridge” war funding for FY 2009 that Congress approved in June 2008. In addition, the Obama administration is seeking $130 billion in for FY 2010.

The full Senate is expected to take up the supplemental this week.

To date, Congress has approved over $814 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, not including the $73 billion recommended by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Provides $498 million for the procurement of four F-22 fighters, and deletes $147 million in “shut-down funding”
• Deletes $230 million for the C-17 transport aircraft program, and funds no additional aircraft (the House version includes funding for eight unrequested aircraft)
• The Chairman’s mark included $50 million for the shutdown of the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, but this funding was removed in the full committee mark-up
• Provides $1.1 billion to respond to the threat from Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), $350 million below the request
• Provides $4.2 billion for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicle Fund
• Fully funds the $453 million request for the Commander’s Emergency Response Program (CERP), which allows U.S. officers to finance urgent humanitarian relief and reconstruction requirements in their area of responsibility (AOR)
• Provides $3.6 billion to expand and improve capabilities of the Afghan security forces, $1 billion for Iraqi security forces, and $400 million for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund
• Funds the $909 million request for the Defense Health Program
• Provides $55 million for the Department of Energy’s nuclear threat reduction programs to safeguard nuclear material in Russia and other sites world-wide. The Committee did not fund the $34.5 million request to continue disablement and dismantlement of North Korea's plutonium program

BACKGROUND

In February 2008, the Bush Administration requested a $70 billion supplemental “bridge” fund to cover the costs of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the first part of FY 2009, which began on October 1, 2008. Congress approved $65.9 billion.

On February 26, 2009, the Obama Administration released the initial details of its proposed FY 2010 budget for the federal government. At that time, the administration indicated that it would also be seeking an additional $75.5 billion in supplemental funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the latter part of the current fiscal year (FY 2009).

FUNDING LEVELS (numbers may not add up due to rounding)

Total
Request: $73.7 billion
Committee Recommendation: $73.0 billion
Difference: -$699 million

Personnel
Request: $16.2 billion
Committee Recommendation: $18.0 billion
Difference: +$1.83 billion

Operations & Maintenance
Request: $34.4 billion
Committee Recommendation: $33.8 billion
Difference: -$615 million

Procurement
Request: $21.9 billion
Committee Recommendation: $21.9 billion
Difference: +$27 million

Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation
Request: $810 million
Committee Recommendation: $886 million
Difference: +$76 million

Revolving and Management Funds
Request: $847 million
Committee Recommendation: $862 million
Difference: +$15 million

Other DOD
Request: $2.5 billion
Committee Recommendation: $2.2 billion
Difference: -$368 million

OTHER DEFENSE PROVISIONS

Aircraft Procurement – The Committee recommends $498 million for the procurement of four F-22 fighters, and deletes $147 million in “shut-down funding” for the F-22 program. It also funds the $45 million request for six C-12 transport aircraft and $196 million for 10 “Reaper” unmanned aerial vehicles. The Committee also added funding for wing replacement kits for P-3 “Orion” aircraft ($246 million) and the A-10 “Thunderbolt” ($150 million).

Army Aviation – The Committee recommends funding only for replacement of combat losses. The bill cuts the $81 million request for UH-60 helicopters by $49 million, cuts the $120 million request for the CH-47 helicopter by $60 million, and deletes the requested $354 million for AH-64 helicopter modifications.

Mine Resistant Ambush Protection (MRAP) Vehicles – Provides $4.2 billion for All Terrain Vehicle variants, $1.55 billion above the request. Lighter and more maneuverable than the standard MRAP, the ATV variant is considered better suited for operations in Afghanistan.

Stryker Armored Vehicles – The Committee funds $113 million for Stryker armored vehicles, and cuts the $842 million request for High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles (“Humvees”) by $162 million.

National Guard Equipment – Provides $500 million in unrequested funding for equipment for the National Guard and Reserve

FUNDING TO DATE FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN

• Congress has approved $864 billion since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 to support military operations and other aspects of the “War on Terror” (as of June 30, 2008).
• Of this, $814 billion has gone to the Pentagon, or 94 percent of the total.
• Only $46.6 billion has gone to the Department of State and USAID, roughly 5 percent. Of this amount, $21.1 billion was appropriated in FY 2004 for reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Pentagon funding has been split primarily between operations in Iraq ($621 billion, or 76 percent of the total) and Afghanistan ($160 billion, or 20 percent).
• Including the new $75.5 billion FY 2009 request for the Pentagon and the additional $7.1 billion requested for international affairs, total emergency funding since September 2001 has reached $947 billion.