House Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2019 Defense Bill

Jun 13, 2018
Press Release

The House Appropriations Committee today approved the subcommittee draft of the fiscal year 2019 Defense Appropriations bill on a vote of 48-4. The legislation funds the Department of Defense – including operations, readiness, equipment modernization, and health and quality-of-life programs for our troops and military families.

The legislation provides a total of $674.6 billion for the Department of Defense. This includes $606.5 billion in base discretionary funding – an increase of $17.1 billion above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level. The bill also provides $68.1 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO)/Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) funding. This funding level is consistent with the National Defense Authorization Act which was approved by the House last month, as well as the recently enacted budget agreement.

“With the changing global dynamics and ever-growing threats, it is absolutely imperative that our military is properly trained, equipped, and fully supported. It is also critically important to provide our men and women in uniform with the funding and resources they need to execute their missions, assist and protect our allies around the world, provide for their families, and ensure the current and future security of our nation,” Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said. “This legislation does all of this by including robust funding for our troops, the defense programs and activities necessary to accomplish our national goals and ideals, and to continue to rebuild our military.”

“The FY18 Defense Appropriations bill was a turning point that enabled the military to start to rebuild after years of declining military readiness. This bill continues the progress we were able to make in FY18.  It is a product of countless meetings and briefings with our military leaders and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the U.S. military is the strongest, most capable military in the world,” said Defense Subcommittee Chairwoman Kay Granger. “Our military must have the resources it needs to respond to and deter threats from countries like Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, and also counter violent extremists throughout the world. This bill does what General Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff has asked, it ‘ensures the joint force has the depth, flexibility, readiness and responsiveness that ensures our men and women will never face a fair fight.’”

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full committee today:

Rep. Stewart – The amendment adds report language to encourage the Department of Defense to continue the development and deployment of existing prototypes related to cybersituational awareness and electronic warfare capabilities. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.

Rep. Taylor – The amendment adds report language encouraging the Department of Defense to evaluate options to expand military child care programs. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.

Rep. Amodei – The amendment realigns $5 million within the Army research, development, test and evaluation account. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.

Rep. Pocan – The amendment adds report language requiring the Department of Defense to submit a classified report on U.S. assistance to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. The amendment was adopted on a voice vote.

For a bill summary, please visit: /news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=395335

For the bill report, please visit: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP00/20180613/108421/HRPT-115-HR_Defense.PDF

For the text of the bill, please visit: https://docs.house.gov/meetings/AP/AP02/20180607/108403/BILLS-115-SC-AP-FY2019-Defense-DefenseBill.pdf

 

Subcommittees: 
115th Congress