David Alexander writes the fiscal 2015Â National Defense Authorization Act includes some additional funds for arms programs and contradicts DoD’s plans to reduce the annual pay increase to one percent and retire some programs.
Committee Chairman Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) said the committee intends to avoid the shrinking of military forces and hopes for a possible future reversal of sequestration spending cuts, according to Reuters.
Alexander reports the authorized budget is $5 billion less than DoD’s planned budget and shifts funding to programs the Pentagon wanted to reduce or eliminate.
“We can have a larger force, or we can have a ready force,” ranking member Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said, noting that the bill takes $1.4 billion away from programs that support readiness of troops and equipment.