On January 13, the Senate and House appropriations Committees released the text of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Omnibus appropriations bill, a $1 trillion government spending bill that includes 12 appropriations bills to fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year. The Senate and House are scheduled to vote on and approve the legislation later this week.
Defense Legislation Moves Closer to Senate Vote
“Congressional leaders are coming to realize that Pentagon spending is coming down as the wars are coming to an end. Smart strategy has to be employed to make sure we reduce spending in the right way,” said Laicie Heeley, director of defense policy at the Center. “In future years, appropriators have to begin to reshape spending to address 21st century threats and not those of the past.”
Analysis of the FY 2014 National Defense Authorization Bill, H.R. 3304
by Kingston Reif, Laicie Heeley, and John Isaacs Senate and House negotiators have agreed on a Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Bill, H.R. 3304, that was negotiated between the two Armed Services Committees. This tactic was chosen after the Senate failed to agree to limit the number of amendments on the Senate floor before the […]
Strategy, Not Cold War Ideology, Should Guide Conferees on Defense Bill
“The Republican leadership seems stuck in the Cold War, authorizing hundreds of million on nuclear weapons and missile defense programs that military leaders did not request,” said Reif. “Pentagon spending should be driven by strategic need and affordability.”
Ryan-Murray Budget Deal Misses Mark on Security Opportunities
“The deal increases funding for a series of critical international and domestic programs,” said Laicie Heeley, the Center’s Director of Defense Policy. “Tragically, the new deal still pours wasted billions into programs that do not enhance the security of the United States or our allies.”