House Defense spending bill boosts R&D funds

The $408.7 billion fiscal 2006 Defense spending bill the House Appropriations Committee considers Tuesday makes several adjustments to major procurement programs and greatly increases funds for research and development over the administration's request.

Also included is $45.26 billion in emergency "bridge" funds to cover the cost of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and the war on terror for the first six months of the fiscal year, beginning Oct. 1.

While the administration did not request additional funds, the money is intended to prevent potential interruptions of funding to troops in the field until an fiscal 2006 supplemental spending bill can be enacted.

Increasingly concerned about the administration's failure to include in regular budget submissions the cost of a war that has been going on for three years, lawmakers allowed for up to $50 billion in emergency war funds in the 2006 budget resolution, and the Armed Services committees have authorized nearly that amount.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to back a similar fund this summer. If enacted, it would bring total emergency war-fighting funds to about $320 billion.

The underlying bill contains $363.44 billion in funding, a $3.3 billion decrease from the president's request.

Operations and maintenance accounts bear the brunt of the cuts, but still would receive $116.1 billion and another $28.7 billion within the Iraq bridge fund.

Research and development, funded at $71.7 billion, would see a $2.3 billion increase over the request.

That includes full funding of the Joint Strike Fighter development program and a slight decrease in missile defense funds, coupled with sharp reductions for the Future Combat System program, satellite communications, space radar and the Joint Tactical Radio System.

The bill would provide $76.8 billion for procurement, representing a slight increase over the president's request -- but with major policy differences.

The House would cut $771.7 million from the request for Marine KC-130J refueling tankers, manufactured by the Boeing Co., reducing tanker procurement from 12 to four. The money would be redirected largely to maintain the existing multiyear procurement contract for Air Force C-130J cargo transport planes. Lockheed Martin Corp. would provide nine planes in 2006, at a cost of $744 million.

The Pentagon originally proposed to cancel the C-130J contract, but reversed itself last month in the face of staunch congressional opposition.

The $9.6 billion Navy shipbuilding budget is nearly $900 million above the president's request. The committee bill would provide four more ships than the Pentagon asked for, which "provides a more stable shipbuilding program than proposed, and helps bridge the gap between today's ongoing programs and future needs," according to the accompanying report.

The bill would provide $1.4 billion for an additional DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. There is also $440 million to buy two new Littoral Combat Ships, and an additional T-AKE ammunition ship, at a $384 million cost.

The measure eliminates $716 million requested for the Navy's next-generation DD(X) destroyer, setting up a battle in conference with the Senate, where support for the program is strong. It also proposes to eliminate $148 million for the Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile, effectively killing the program "due to repeated test failures," the report states.

The measure also includes $75 million above the request to buy four additional UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters for the Army; provides $935.9 million to fully support the VXX presidential vertical lift helicopter, a White House priority, and fully funds requests for 24 F/A-22 Raptor fighter jets in FY06 and advance procurement of 29 the following year.

The measure fully funds the president's request for a 3.1 percent pay raise and end-strength requirements, and would provide increases for medical research, development, education for children of servicemen and women and for programs to combat domestic violence.