Whats inside the $700 billion defense budget plan headed to Trumps desk?

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https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2017/11/17/whats-inside-the-700-billion-defense-budget-plan-headed-to-trumps-desk/

What’s inside the $700 billion defense budget plan headed to Trump’s desk?

By: Leo Shane III    20 hours ago

WASHINGTON — The Senate finalized a nearly $700 billion defense authorization bill on Thursday, setting the stage for a 2.4 percent pay raise for troops next year, a boost in military end strength and a build-up in military equipment and readiness. Whether the military will have that much money to spend is still up for debate. The authorization bill sets policy priorities and spending parameters for military funding for fiscal 2018, but appropriators still must allot the money to the Defense Department before they can move ahead. That process is expected to take several more weeks. The authorization bill approved Thursday in a quiet, pre-holiday vote is already $85 billion above spending caps mandated by federal law for fiscal 2018. Appropriators are still considering a boost in that limit of about $55 billion, similar to the president’s request earlier this year. But Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, R-Ariz., called the authorization bill’s passage “the baseline for our leaders” as appropriations negotiations continue.

Lawmakers who negotiated the compromise bill called it a readiness-focused plan, one that sets the stage for future military build-ups promised by President Donald Trump. It includes about $634 billion in base defense spending and another nearly $66 billion for overseas contingency operations.

It also includes a wide range of policy items that will directly affect rank-and-file troops and service leaders:

A 2.4 percent pay raise: The pay boost for 2018, which matches the expected growth in private-sector wages for next year, is the largest troops have seen since 2010. It translates into about a $680 annual boost from 2017 pay for younger enlisted troops, and about $1,080 a year for more senior enlisted and junior officers. A mid-career officer will see almost $2,000 a year extra under the plan.

More troops: The authorization bill backs plans to add 8,500 new soldiers (7,500 in active duty, 500 each in the Guard and Reserve), 5,000 new sailors (4,000 in active duty, 1,000 in the Reserve), 5,800 new airmen (4,100 in active duty, 900 in the Guard, 800 in the Reserve) and 1,000 new active-duty Marines.

More aircraft: Lawmakers provided authorization for 90 new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, 24 new F/A-18 Hornets, 12 new V-22 Ospreys and 71 AH-64E helicopters. All of those are aobve White House and Pentagon equipment requests.

More ground combat vehicles: The bill matches White House requests for joint light tactical vehicles and armored multipurpose vehicles, but adds wider authority to purchase more Abrams Tank upgrades (85 tanks) and Bradley Fighting Vehicles (93 vehicles) than the administration had sought.

More ships: Naval officials had pushed for the power to purchase one new Littoral Combat Ship. The authorization bill money includes three, and an extra DDG-51 destroyer above the two requested by military leaders.

New revenge porn rules: In response to controversies earlier this year, the measure includes language making “non-consensual sharing of intimate images” a crime. It also expands support services for victims of military sexual assault.

Expanded health care services: The measure makes more reservists eligible for Tricare after mobilization. And it also requires new mental health assessments and physical exams for reservists before their orders expire, in an effort to better identify their service-connected injuries.

New online purchasing power: Dubbed the “Amazon amendment,” the authorization bill contains a provision allowing defense officials to create an online portal for quick purchase of commercial products such as office supplies or furniture.
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