This week, the President’s proposed budget for FY16 was released. Unless there are startling surprises from what the White House been talking about and the leaks we have been hearing the DoD budget is expected to look a great deal like the Administration’s proposed budget for last year. The major difference is that this year the proposed budget proposes to break the sequestration caps.
According to POLITICO the Pentagon’s budget proposes to:
* Will consist of $534.3 billion for the base budget and $50.9 billion for the supplemental Overseas Contingency Operations account to fund the war in Afghanistan and other counterterrorism operations.
* Making the base line a $38 billion from last year’s budget. But that will only occurs if Congress agrees to have a deal to end (or at least postpone) sequestration. (The sticking point here will surely be the approx $38 billion increase that is also proposed for domestic programs.)
* Includes a request of $209.8 billion in operations and maintenance funding in the base budget, “an increase of $14.5 billion from this fiscal year. The proposal would also boost procurement spending by $14.1 billion to $107.7 billion and research and development funding by $6.3 billion to $69.8 billion” The request includes three new Littoral Combat Ships as part of an $11.6 billion nine-ship procurement package that will also fund two Virginia-class attack submarines, according to the highlights. There’s also $55 million for LCS capabilities improvements. And asks for $678 million for “refueling “the air craft carrier USS George Washington as included last year by Congress.
* While all of this is being proposed it is reported that the Administration will once again propose saving money by requiring TRICARE beneficiaries to pay more in fees; cutting the BHA and dramatically cutting commissaries support.