Today, the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee (HAC-D) marked up the FY2012 Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations bill.  According to the committee press release, the bill provides $530 billion for DoD (excluding Military Construction), almost $9 billion below the president’s request.  Last week the full House Appropriations Committee approved $14 billion for military construction appropriations ($750 million less than the request) in the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs FY2012 appropriations bill.

The HAC-D bill also provides $118.6 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) in FY2012, $800 million above the request.

Details of the bill are not yet available, but the press release states the bill funds a 1.6 percent military pay raise proposed by the president and authorized in the House version of the FY2012 Defense Authorization bill.  The bill would also provide $32.3 billion for Defense Health programs ($119 million above the request) and $2.3 billion for family support programs.

Funding for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) programs would be almost $800 million below the request, but according to the committee the bill includes funding for “key readiness programs, flight operations, training, maintenance, and base operations.

The HAC-D bill would provide $107.6 billion, a $3.5 billion cut from requested procurement programs.  Included in the bill’s approved procurement level are funds to build 10 new ships, 32 F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) and 11 C-130J aircraft, 116 H-60 Blackhawk and 47 Chinook helicopters.

Funding for research and development in the bill would be $73 billion, $2.3 billion below the request.  The committee points out that the bill would fully fund the tanker replacement program and R&D for the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV, the Navy Combat Air Vehicle, and the CH-53K helicopter. 

While the committee listed few specific cuts to the request, the press release listed a number of general reductions that, according to the committee, would not affect the safety of success of mission operations.  These include $500 million for unjustified supply increases, $400 million for logistic support contract savings, $1.3 billion due to improved  economic assumptions, and $1.7 billion in rescissions to prior year programs.  Production delays in the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) resulted in savings of $435 million and program delays allowed the committee to reduce Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System (EMAARS) funding by $524 million.

The HAC-D bill did not include funding for an F-35 (JSF) alternative engine program.  This is contrary to the House-passed FY2012 Defense Authorization bill, which would reopen competition for the engine if DoD asks Congress for more funds because the contractor failed to meet performance goals.

The full House Appropriations Committee will vote on the FY2012 DoD appropriations bill on June 14.