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.