Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Analysis of Senate Appropriations Committee Action on the FY2008 Defense Appropriations Bill (H.R. 3222)

by Christopher Hellman [contact information]

October 2, 2007

The Senate Appropriations Committee completed its markup of the Fiscal Year 2008 Defense Appropriations bill on September 12. The bill includes $459.3 billion for the Department of Defense, $3.5 billion below the Bush Administration's request ($463.1 billion) and $39.7 billion above current levels (excluding supplemental appropriations bills). The full Senate may begin consideration of the legislation the week of October 1. The House completed consideration of its version of the legislation (H.R. 3222) on August 5.

Like the House version, this bill does NOT fund the Administration request for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which now totals about $190 billion for the year. Both the Senate and the House are expected to address this Iraq and Afghanistan funding later this year or early next year.

This bill also 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. In all, total defense appropriations, including war funding, could reach $700 billion in FY 2008.

For additional information on the Administration's FY 2008 budget request, see the Center's analysis.

For additional information on the House-passed version of the Defense Appropriations bill (H.R. 3222), see the Center's analysis.

HIGHLIGHTS

Defense Health Care - Provides $23.5 billion, $949 million above the Administration's request and $2.3 billion more than FY 2007.

Littoral Combat Ship - "Zeroes out" the Administration's request of $910 million for three vessels. The Committee report notes that the LCS is an "integral component of the Navy's future shipbuilding program," yet calls the history of the program detailed in the report accompanying the Senate version of the 2008 Defense Authorization (S. 1547) "a case study in how not to acquire ships."

Guard and Reserve Equipment - Provides $1 billion in unrequested funds to address equipment shortfalls in the National Guard and Reserve.

Modifying Trident Submarines to Carry Conventional Warheads - Cuts entire administration request of $174.5 million, but includes $125 million to develop a new Prompt Global Strike capability.

Missile Defense - Provides $8.5 billion for missile defense, $310 million below the request, including an $85 million cut from the $310 million requested for the third missile defense site in Europe. Includes no funding for a Space Test Bed.

Cooperative Threat Reduction (Nunn-Lugar) - Provides $448 million, $100 million above the request and $76 million above current funding levels.

FUNDING PROVISIONS

Total Funding

• Request: $463.1 billion
• Committee: $459.6 billion ($3.549 billion below the request)

Personnel

• Request: $105.4 billion
• Committee: $105.5 billion ($119 million above the request)

Operations & Maintenance

• Request: $142.9 billion
• Committee: $141.9 billion ($969 million below the request)

Procurement

• Request: $99.6 billion
• Committee: $98.2 billion ($1.4 billion below the request)

Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation

• Request: $75.1 billion
• Committee: $75.4 billion ($265 million above the request)

Revolving and Management Funds

• Request: $2.4 billion
• Committee: $2.4 billion ($57 million below the request)

Other Defense Programs (including defense healthcare)

• Request: $25.7 billion
• Committee: $26.3 billion ($567 million above the request)

MAJOR WEAPONS SYSTEMS

TACTICAL AIRCRAFT

F/A-22 "Raptor" Fighter

• Request: $3.2 billion for 20 aircraft
• Committee: $3.2 billion for 20 aircraft

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

• Request: $2.4 billion for procurement of 12 aircraft (six Navy, six Air Force)
• Committee: $2.4 billion for procurement of 12 aircraft (six Navy, six Air Force)
• NOTE: The committee also recommends an additional $480 million for continued development of an alternative engine source for the aircraft.

F/A-18E/F "Super Hornet" Fighter

• Request: $2.1 billion for 24 aircraft
• Committee: $2.1 billion for 24 aircraft

EA-18G Jamming Aircraft

• Request: $1.3 billion for 18 aircraft
• Committee: $1.3 billion for 18 aircraft

V-22 "Osprey" Tilt-rotor

• Request: $1.8 billion for 21 Marine Corps aircraft, and $454 million for five Air Force aircraft
• Committee: $1.8 billion for 21 Marine Corps aircraft, and $454 million for five Air Force aircraft

C-17 Transport

• Request: $261 million
• Committee: $261 million

C-130J Transport Aircraft

• Request: $223 million for 4 Marine Corps KC-130J aircraft, and $686 million for nine Air Force aircraft
• Committee: $220 million for 4 Marine Corps KC-130J aircraft, and $686 million for nine Air Force aircraft

BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE (Missile Defense Agency only)

• Request: $8.8 billion
• Committee: $8.5 billion ($310 million below the request)
• NOTE: The total Administration request for ballistic missile defense (MDA and other service accounts) was $10.9 billion.

SHIPBUILDING

Aircraft Carrier Replacement Program [CVN-21]

• Request: $2.7 billion for one vessel
• Committee: $2.7 billion for one vessel

DD-1000 "Zumwalt" Destroyer [DD(x)]

• Request: $2.8 billion for two vessels
• Committee: $2.8 billion for two vessels

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)

• Request: $910 million for three vessels
• Committee: Funds no new hulls for the program (see "highlights" above)
• NOTE: The committee also recommends a $300 million rescission from FY'07 funding and the cancellation of the fourth vessel in the class (LCS-4), with full funding for development and construction of LCS-1 and LCS-2.

LPD-17 "San Antonio" Amphibious Assault Ship

• Request: $1.4 billion for one vessel
• Committee: $1.4 billion for one vessel

LHA Replacement Vessel

• Request: $1.4 billion
• Committee: $1.4 billion

SSN-774 "Virginia" Class Submarine

• Request: $1.8 billion for 1 vessel
• Committee: $1.8 billion for 1 vessel
• NOTE: The committee also includes $1.2 billion for advanced procurement of an additional vessel, $470 million above the amount requested.

ARMY PROGRAMS

Stryker Interim Armored Vehicle (IAV)

• Request: $1.0 billion for 127 vehicles
• Committee $1.0 billion for 127 vehicles

Future Combat System

• Request: $3.6 billion
• Committee: $3.6 billion

UH-60 "Blackhawk" Helicopters

• Request: $588.7 million for 42 aircraft
• Committee: $770.8 million for 52 aircraft

Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter

• Request: $468.3 million for 26 aircraft
• Committee: $242.2 million for 16 aircraft

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Personnel - Fully funds a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay raise for military personnel. The Administration had requested only a 3 percent increase.

Chemical Weapons Destruction - Provides $1.52 billion for the Army's chemical munitions destruction program, $62 million above the amount requested by the Administration.

Drug Interdiction And Counter-Drug Activities - Provides $963 million for the Pentagon's counter-drug activities, $26 million above the request.

FUNDING FOR MILITARY OPERATIONS IN IRAQ/AFGHANISTAN

As part of its FY 2008 budget submission, the Administration requested $141.7 billon for support of continued combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. On September 26, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Congress that the Administration was seeking an additional $42.3 billion. Like the House version, this bill contains no funding for military operations for Fiscal Year 2008. Reports indicate that Congress will address this issue either later this year or early next year.

SOURCES

Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 3222) Senate bill text as reported, released September 14, 2007.

Defense Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2008 (H.R. 3222) Senate Committee Report 110-155, released September 14, 2007.

Senate Appropriations Committee markup summary and press release, released September 11, 2007.