Note: The bill contains four appropriations bills, called a “Minibus,” wrapped into one measure: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Financial Services and General Government, and Homeland Security spending bills.
Some highlights of the defense appropriations bill:
Total funding
$622.7 billion in base funding, an increase of $16.2 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $88.7 billion above the President’s request
$70.7 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, an increase of $2.8 billion above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $93.3 billion below the President’s request.
$1.8 billion for natural disaster funding for repairs to bases
$695.1 billion- grand total in this bill
(Reminder that there is additional 050 defense funding in the Energy and Water and Military Construction bills that bring the overall total to $738 billion)
Major divisions of the funding
$146.1 billion – procurement
$105.3 billion – research, development, testing and evaluation
$254.2 billion – operations and maintenance
Aircraft procurement
- Funds the request of 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft ($1.7 billion).
- Funds 98 F-35 aircraft, 20 more than the request, including 62 F-35As, 16 F-35Bs, and 20 F-35Cs ($9.3 billion).
- Funds eight F-15EX aircraft to recapitalize the F-15C/D fleet ($1.1 billion).
- Funds 74 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, 16 more than the fiscal year 2019 enacted level ($1.4 billion), including one additional aircraft above the request for the National Guard to replace a training loss.
- Funds the request of 12 KC-46 tankers ($2.1 billion).
- Funds 26 MQ-9 Reaper air vehicles, 11 more than the request ($522 million).
- Funds 49 remanufactured AH-64 Apache helicopters ($827 million), which is one aircraft above the request to replace a battlefield loss.
- Funds the request of six MQ-1 Gray Eagles ($54 million) and adds $90 million above the request for additional aircraft.
- Funds 14 V-22 aircraft, four more than the request ($1.2 billion).
- Funds nine P-8A Poseidon aircraft, three more than the request ($1.7 billion).
- Funds 20 C/MC/KC-130J aircraft, eight more than the request, including an additional four C-130Js for the Air Force Reserve and an additional four C-130Js for the Air National Guard ($1.8 billion).
- Funds six E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, two more than the request ($1.07 billion).
- Funds the request of six CH-53K helicopters ($847 million).
- Funds the request of six VH-92 executive helicopters ($641 million).
- Funds 12 Combat Rescue helicopters ($851 million).
- Provides long-lead funding for the CH-47 Chinook Block II upgrade to ensure that Army stays on schedule with the program of record.
Shipbuilding procurement
- Provides $24 billion to procure 14 Navy ships.
- Funds are provided for three DDG-51 guided missile destroyers, two SSN-774 attack submarines, one Frigate, one Ford class aircraft carrier, two TAO fleet oilers, two towing, salvage, and rescue ships, one LHA replacement, one Expeditionary Fast Transport, and one LPD.
- Funds advance procurement of the first Columbia Class submarine ($1.8 billion); separately funds $427 million for further research and development on the sub.
- Funds advance procurement for Virginia Class submarines ($3 billion).
- Funds one Ship to Shore Connector, one more than the request ($65 million).
Misc. provisions
- $1.8 billion for Ohio replacement submarine.
- $3.0 billion for the B-21 bomber program.
- $557 million for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program.
- $713 million for the Long Range Standoff program.
- Requires a $728 million realignment after the termination of the Redesigned Kill Vehicle for the Ground-Based Missile Defense program, including $310 million for a competitive next-generation Interceptor program and $155 million for risk reduction.
- Funds active duty end strength of 1,339,500, an increase of 1,400 above current year and equal to the request.
- 3.1% pay increase for troops and for federal civilian workers.
- $388.5 million to procure 37 THAAD interceptors, a decrease of $37.3 million after unit cost savings.
- $985.5 million, as requested for Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction.
- $373.7 million for Cooperative Threat Reduction.
- Provides that nothing in this Act may be construed as authorizing the use of force against Iran.
- $4.2 billion for the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, $604 million below the request.
- $250 million for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, as requested, including $50 million for lethal assistance. Requires the Department to notify Congress of any undue spending delays.
- $1.8 billion for disaster relief due to hurricanes, earthquakes, flooding and other natural disasters in Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, California, Nebraska, Alaska, and Georgia.
- Prohibits the transfer of F-35 fighters to Turkey.
- Provides $40 million for the Space Force, $32.4 million less than the $72.4 million requested by the Pentagon.
Source: House Appropriations Committee press release and Senate Appropriations summary of the bill
House provisions not adopted in the conference report
- Repeal of the 2001 Authorization to use Military force
- Cut off of aid to the Saudi campaign in Yemen
- Limits on shifting money to the border wall
- Elimination of funding for the new W76-2 low-yield SLBM warhead
Note: this listing is by necessity incomplete as there is limited information about the bill released at this time.
