The House Budget Committee advanced legislation Wednesday that would raise statutory spending caps for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. It would allow for $733 billion in defense spending for next year and $749 billion the following year.
Three Democrats joined all Republicans opposing the measure, showing the progressive-moderate split in the Democratic caucus that makes the legislation’s fate uncertain on the House floor, where it may not even come up for a vote.
The Senate is also unlikely to consider it.
House and Senate leaders have talked about finding a bipartisan deal to raise the spending caps, but the White House has so far resisted a deal, instead moving some of its $750 billion defense spending request to the overseas war account, which is not subject to spending caps.
The Republican-led Senate Budget Committee passed a budget resolution along party lines that would cut defense spending to $643 billion for fiscal year 2020.
Post-Leadership, McConnell Plans to Push for More Defense Funding
When Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell steps down from his Senate leadership role after the November elections, he’ll have at least two more years in the Senate. Now he’s signaled one of his priorities as a rank-and-file Senator is to increase defense funding,...
