The House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee will mark up its version of the fiscal year 2025 defense spending bill today during a closed hearing.
The subcommittee Tuesday released the bill and a summary. Here are some of the highlights:
- 5% basic pay raise for all military personnel
- Additional $15% increase for junior enlisted service members
- Cut of more than $916 million from DOD’s request for the civilian workforce
- More than $900 million for innovation efforts such as the Defense Innovation Unit
- $53 million for STARBASE
- $50 million for the National Guard Youth Challenge
- $4 million for Sea Cadets
- $50 million for Impact Aid and $20 million for Impact Aid for those with disabilities
Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) opposed the bill, saying it “abdicates U.S. leadership at the United Nations,” and brings back “the doomed isolationism of the early 20th century,” as Politico reported in its National Security Daily newsletter.
Other House Action
The full House is expected to vote today on the appropriations bill for military construction and Veterans Affairs, which the White House said it would veto, as On Base reported. Leaders plan to bring the National Defense Authorization Act to the floor next week.
Defense Innovation Unit photo by Devon Bistarkey
