Massive Defense spending bill set for House, Senate votes

House and Senate votes are expected this week to approve the fiscal 2004 Defense appropriations bill conference report, a $368 billion proposal that represents an overall reduction of $3.5 billion from President Bush's request.

The House is scheduled to hold its vote Wednesday and the Senate either Wednesday or Thursday. The bill includes $74.7 billion for military procurement programs and $65.2 billion for research and development projects. It also provides a 4.1 percent military pay increase and fully funds the president's approximately $9 billion request for missile defense programs.

The bill includes $2.6 billion to fund 22 F-22 Air Force fighter jets and $2.9 billion for 42 F/A-18E/F Navy fighter aircraft. It includes $1.5 billion for 11 V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor craft for the Marine Corps and Air Force, and $2.1 billion for 11 Air Force C-17 airlifters. Another $228 million was included for 19 Army Blackhawk helicopters.

The bill also provides $355 million for 250 Navy Tactical Tomahawk cruise missiles, $724 million for Navy and Air Force Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and $85 million to buy 200 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles. An increase of $400 million for National Guard and Reserve equipment was also included.

Research and development funds include $4.3 billion for the tri-service Joint Strike Fighter and $1.1 billion for the Army's Comanche helicopter. The Air Force received $364 million for its MC2C command and control system, along with $617 million for the Space-Based Infra-Red System, $174 million for the Space-Based Radar, and $339 million for Advanced Wideband Satellite laser communications.

But the legislation does not include funds to pay for reconstruction and stability operations in Iraq, which were covered in a $62.4 billion emergency supplemental package earlier this year. The president has also requested an additional $66 billion in new fiscal 2004 emergency funds to pay for continued security efforts there.