The nation's military leaders are welcoming a House Republican spending bill, saying it would ease some of the pain of budget cuts hitting the Pentagon.
Army Gen. Raymond Odierno told a House Appropriations panel on Tuesday that the spending measure that would fund day-to-day federal operations through September would mitigate at least a third of the service's problems.
The bill would leave in place automatic cuts of 7.8 percent to the Pentagon that kicked in last Friday, but it would boost funds for military readiness.
The head of the Navy, Adm. Jonathan Greenert, said the difference for the service would be like night and day, with operations allowed to move ahead.
The military has complained about the combination of across-the-board cuts and the government operating at last year's spending levels.
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