Congressional leaders have introduced an omnibus bill that would authorize $1.3 trillion to fund government operations through the end of fiscal 2018, Defense News reported Thursday.The omnibus package would allocate $654.6 billion in funds for the Defense Department, including a base budget of $589.5 billion and overseas contingency operations funds worth $65.2 billion.
The defense appropriations bill would earmark $137.7 billion in funds for military personnel and pay, including a 2.4 percent salary increase for warfighters.
The proposed legislation would authorize $238 billion for operation and maintenance accounts, $89.2 billion for research and development of defense technology platforms and $34.4 billion for defense health and military family programs.
DoD’s equipment procurement initiatives would get $144.3 billion in funds under the proposed bill, according to the measure’s summary.
The legislation’s equipment acquisition section includes $23.8 billion for the procurement of 14 Navy ships; $10.2 billion for 90 F-35 fighter jets; $9.5 billion for the Missile Defense Agency; $1.8 billion for the purchase of 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft; $1.4 billion for three Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles; $1.1 billion for the acquisition of 56 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters; and $1.1 billion to support upgrades of 85 Abrams tanks.
The omnibus bill would set aside $47.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, $4 billion to address the opioid crisis, $21 billion for infrastructure projects and $2.3 billion for school safety efforts.
House and Senate lawmakers need to pass the spending package before the current continuing resolution expires Friday in order to avert a government shutdown.
