by Christopher Hellman and Travis Sharp
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) completed its markup of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Defense Authorization bill (HR 2647) on June 17, 2009. HASC’s marked-up bill recommends an overall FY 2010 authorization level of $680.5 billion, $348 million more than requested by the administration. This $680.5 billion total includes $130 billion for ongoing military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and $550.5 billion for National Defense (function 050). Of the $550.5 billion slated for National Defense, $534.0 billion is for the Department of Defense (DOD) and $16.5 billion is for the Department of Energy’s nuclear weapons activities.
The full House is expected to take up the Defense Authorization bill this week.
HIGHLIGHTS
Military Pay Raise – Includes a 3.4 percent pay raise, 0.5 percent above the administration’s request.
National Guard & Reserve Equipment – Includes $6.9 billion for equipment procurement for the National Guard and Reserve, $600 million above the request.
F-22 Fighter Aircraft – Includes $368.8 million in advanced procurement funding for the acquisition of 12 F-22 fighters in FY 2011.
JSF Alternative Engine – Provides $603 million for the continued development and acquisition of a second source engine for the Joint Strike Fighter program, and requires DOD to include funding for the competitive engine program in future budget requests
FUNDING PROVISIONS
Total Funding (Function 050)
Request: $550.2 billion
Committee: $550.5 billion ($348 million above request)
Procurement
Request: $105.8 billion
Committee: $105.2 billion ($621 million below request)
Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation
Request: $78.6 billion
Committee: $79.7 billion ($1,020.2 million above request)
Operations & Maintenance
Request: $156.4 billion
Committee: $157.3 billion ($832.4 million above request)
Personnel
Request: $136.0 billion
Committee: $135.7 billion ($292.5 million below request)
Military Construction
Request: $13.1 billion
Committee: $13.6 billion ($524.2 million above request)
Military Housing
Request: $1.959 billion
Committee: $1.959 billion
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Implementation
Request: $7.9 billion
Committee: $7.7 billion ($210 million below request)
Other DOD Programs
Request: $33.9 billion
Committee: $33.0 billion ($903.2 million below request)
NOTE: This amount includes $26.7 billion for the Defense Health program, $940 million below the request
Department of Energy Defense Activities (Function 053)
Request: $16.4 billion
Committee: $16.5 billion ($83.3 million above the request)
MAJOR WEAPONS SYSTEMS
BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
Request: $9.3 billion
Committee: $9.3 billion
AIRCRAFT
F/A-22 “Raptor” Fighter
Request: $1.02 billion
Committee: $1.05 billion, including $368.8 million in advanced procurement for 12 aircraft in FY 2011
Joint Strike Fighter
Request: $9.6 billion for 20 Navy and 10 Air Force aircraft
Committee: $9.9 billion for 19 Navy and 9 Air Force aircraft and $603 million for the alternative engine program (not requested)
F/A-18E/F “Super Hornet” Fighter
Request: $1.2 billion for 9 aircraft
Committee: $1.3 billion for 9 aircraft
EA-18G Radar Jamming Aircraft
Request: $1.69 billion for 22 aircraft
Committee: $1.74 billion for 22 aircraft
V-22 “Osprey” Tilt-rotor
Request: $2.7 billion for 30 Navy and 5 Air Force aircraft
Committee: $2.7 billion for 30 Navy and 5 Air Force aircraft
C-130J Transport Aircraft
Request: $558.9 million for 4 C-130J Air Force aircraft
Committee: $558.9 million for 4 C-130J Air Force aircraft
C-17 Globemaster Transport Aircraft
Request: $250.4 million
Committee: $250.4 million
SHIPBUILDING
DDG-1000 “Zumwalt” Destroyer [DD(x)]
Request: $1.1 billion to complete third and final vessel in the class
Committee: $1.1 billion
DDG-51 “Arleigh Burke” Destroyer
Request: $2.2 billion for 1 ship and advanced procurement
Committee: $2.2 billion for 1 ship and advanced procurement
LPD-17 “San Antonio” Amphibious Assault Ship
Request: $1.06 billion
Committee: $1.12 billion
SSN-774 “Virginia” Class Submarine
Request: $3.9 billion for 1 vessel and advanced procurement for 2 vessels in FY 2011
Committee: $3.9 billion for 1 vessel and advanced procurement for 2 vessels in FY 2011
Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
Request: $1.7 billion for 3 ships
Committee: $1.7 billion for 3 ships
T-AKE Supply Ship
Request: $940 million for 2 ships
Committee: $940 million for 2 ships
ARMY PROGRAMS
Stryker Armored Vehicle
Request: $478.9 million
Committee: $424.9 million
Future Combat System
Request: $2.9 billion
Committee: $2.6 billion ($327 million below request)
UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter
Request: $1.36 billion for 79 aircraft
Committee $1.36 billion for 79 aircraft
HMMWV High Mobility Vehicle
Request: $281 million for 1,770 vehicles
Committee: $286 million for 1,770 vehicles
NON-PROLIFERATION PROGRAMS
Dept. of Energy Nonproliferation Programs
Request: $2.137 billion
Committee: $2.539 billion ($403 million above request)
DOD Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (“Nunn-Lugar”)
Request: $404.1 million
Committee: $434.1 million
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NUCLEAR WEAPONS-RELATED ACTIVITIES
National Nuclear Security Administration
Request: $9.9 billion
Committee: $10.5 billion ($535 million above request)
Environmental and Other Defense Activities
Request: $6.4 billion
Committee: $5.995 billion ($451 million below request)
KEY POLICY PROVISIONS
Limitation on funds for missile defense in Europe – Repeating language Congress has used previously, the bill prohibits any expenditure of funds for the acquisition or deployment of U.S. missile defense in Europe until the proposed system “has demonstrated, through successful, operationally realistic flight testing, a high probability of working in an operationally effective manner and the ability to accomplish the mission.” Such testing has not yet occurred.
Preference for goods and services produced along Afghanistan supply route – Authorizes DOD to limit competition or provide a preference for products that originate in countries along the supply route to Afghanistan. The goals are to reduce costs and risks; encourage countries to expand supply routes; and develop more robust supply routes. The preferred countries include Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan.
Limits funds for release or transfer of Guantanamo detainees – Prevents the use of funds for detainee relocation until 120 days after the President submits a plan that addresses congressional concerns.
Miranda rights in Afghanistan – Seeks a report from the Secretary of Defense on the potential impact of a proposed requirement that U.S. forces in Afghanistan read Miranda rights to detainees.
Continuation of activities by the Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States – Extends the life of the Commission and requires a follow-on report to complement the final report submitted on May 6, 2009.
Program to track arms transfers to Afghanistan and Pakistan – Mandates the implementation of a registration and monitoring system for all defense articles transferred to Afghanistan or Pakistan. GAO has reported that many weapons in Afghanistan cannot be tracked successfully.
Patriot missile defense in Poland – Encourages DOD to deploy a Patriot missile defense battery in Poland by 2012, a proposal agreed to in the U.S.-Poland “Declaration on Strategic Cooperation” signed in August 2008.
F-22 exports to Japan – Requires the Secretaries of Defense, State, and the Air Force to report to Congress within 30 days on the potential sale of F-22 Raptors to Japan.
Expand U.S.-Russia joint data exchange center to include missile defense – Allows DOD to expand the purview of the joint data exchange center to include missile defense activities (currently the center tracks early warning systems for launches of ballistic missiles). The bill provides $5 million in FY 2010 to achieve this objective.
TITLE XV – OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS
HIGHLIGHTS
Afghanistan Security Forces – Provides $7.5 billion, as requested, for Afghanistan Security Forces Fund. Does NOT fund the $700 million request for the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund.
Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) – Provides $1.437 billion for the Joint IED Defeat Fund (JIEDDF), $100 million below the request.
Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles (MRAP) – Includes $5.46 billion for the MRAP program, the amount requested.
COMMITTEE FUNDING LEVELS
Total Funding: $130 billion
Procurement: $24.4 billion, $675 million above request
Research, Development, Testing & Evaluation: $410 million, $100 million above request
Operations & Maintenance: $80.7 billion, $75 million below request
Personnel: $13.6 billion, as requested
Military Construction: $1.4 billion, as requested
Other: $9.5 billion, $700 million below request
