House Passes FY 2017 Defense Appropriations Bill

The U.S. House of Representatives today passed the fiscal year 2017 Defense Appropriations bill. The legislation funds critical national security needs, including military operations and readiness programs, as well as health and quality-of-life programs for our troops and military families.

The legislation meets the overall defense spending limits set by law for fiscal year 2017, providing $517.1 billion in discretionary funding – an increase of $3 billion above the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $587 million below the President’s budget request. The bill also provides $58.6 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO)/Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) funding – the level allowed under current law. Following the lead of the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act of 2017, the legislation targets approximately $16 billion of this OCO/GWOT funding to meet needs within the base Pentagon budget.

Continue reading: http://appropriations.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=394614