A subcommittee draft of the 2018 Defense Appropriations Bill released Sunday by the House Appropriations Committee shows $658.1 billion in funding for the Department of Defense, including $73.9 billion to fund Overseas Contingency/Global War on Terrorism.
"After years of unnecessary and unwise cuts to our national security under the last Administration, this legislation is a step forward in rebuilding our military and ensuring our nation is ready to meet any new or existing threat," Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said in a statement.
"Not only will this bill help provide our troops and commanders with the resources they need to do their jobs, it also will ensure the success of our missions, the safety of our people, and the stability we need around the globe to make a brighter and more secure future for all."
The bill will be considered Monday in a subcommittee meeting. President Donald Trump’s administration had requested $603 billion for the defense budget but Congress asked for more.
The draft includes an increase of $68.1 billion in discretionary funding from fiscal 2017 at $584.2 billion. The bill funds operations, readiness activities and health and quality of life programs for U.S. troops and their families and includes a 2.4 percent pay raise for the military.
It also provides $125 million for traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, $282 million for cancer research and $277 million for sexual assault prevention and response.
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