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May 9, 2018
The FY2019 Defense Budget Request: An Overview
The President’s FY2019 budget request includes $726.8
It did not change the spending limits for FY2020 and
billion for national defense, a major function of the federal
FY2021.
budget that includes funding primarily for Department of
Defense Secretary James Mattis said if Congress allows
Defense (DOD) programs but also for defense-related
these caps to take effect, the newly crafted National
activities administered by other federal agencies.
Defense Strategy, which calls for the United States to
National defense is one of 20 major functions used by the
bolster its competitive military advantage, “is not
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to organize
sustainable. The strategy is designed to protect America and
budget data―and the largest in terms of discretionary
our interests. I cannot provide you the same strategy. I
spending. The national defense budget function (identified
would have to go back and rewrite it. There would be
by the numerical notation 050) comprises three
reductions in what we are able to do.”
subfunctions: DOD–Military (051); atomic energy defense
activities primarily of the Department of Energy (DOE)
DOD Budget
(053); and other defense-related activities (054), such as
Federal Bureau of Investigation counterintelligence
Table 1. FY2019 DOD Budget Request by Title and
activities.
Funding Type
(in billions of dollars)
National Defense Budget
The $726.8 billion national defense budget request includes
FY2018-
FY2018-
$716.0 billion in discretionary spending and $10.8 billion in
FY2019
FY2019
mandatory spending (see Figure 1). The discretionary
DOD Base
FY2018
FY2019
$
%
spending is, for the most part, provided by the annual
Title
Enacted
Request
Change
Change
appropriations bill drafted by the House and Senate
Personnel
141.5
148.2
6.7
4.7%
Appropriations Committees.
O&M
223.5
234.2
10.7
4.8%
The $716.0 billion requested for national defense
discretionary spending breaks down as follows:
Procurement
134.1
131.6
-2.6
-1.9%
 $686.1 billion for DOD (96% of the total);
RDT&E
88.0
91.1
3.1
3.5%
 $21.9 billion for atomic energy activities (3%); and
Constructio
8.7
8.9
0.2
2.1%
 $8.0 billion for other defense-related activities (1%).
n
Of the total, $708.1 billion falls under the jurisdiction of the
Housing
1.4
1.6
0.2
13.7%
House and Senate Armed Services Committees and is
Rev. Funds
1.7
1.5
-0.1
-8.5%
subject to authorization by the annual National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA). The remaining $7.9 billion
Subtotal
598.9
617.1
18.2
3.0%
falls under the jurisdiction of other congressional
committees.
OCO
65.9
69.0
3.1
4.7%
Emergency
5.8

-5.8
-100.0%
In Line with Revised Budget Cap
The President’s budget request conforms to the spending
DOD Total
670.6
686.1
15.4
2.3%
limits (or caps) established by the Budget Control Act of
Sources: Department of Defense, Defense Budget Overview, Table A-
2011 (BCA; P.L. 112-25) and amended by the Bipartisan
4: DOD Base Budget by Appropriation Title, published February 12,
Budget Act of 2018 (BBA of 2018; P.L. 115-123).
2018; Office of Management and Budget, FY2019 Budget Amendments,
Attachment, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/
The request for national defense discretionary spending
2018/04/FY_2019_Budget_Amendment_Package.pdf#page=114;
includes $647 billion in base budget spending and $69
Congressional Budget Office scoring tables for the Consolidated
billion in funding for Overseas Contingency Operations
Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141), continuing appropriations
(OCO). Because the caps do not apply to spending that is
(P.L. 115-96), and Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123).
designated for OCO or for emergency purposes, the request
Notes: 2019 figures from the DOD and OMB sources cited above;
is in line with the limits enacted February 9, 2018, under
2018 figures based on CBO scoring tables for P.L. 115-141 and CRS
the BBA of 2018.
analysis of P.L. 115-96 and P.L. 115-123.
The legislation increased the defense discretionary spending
cap to $647 billion in FY2019, an increase of $85 billion, or
15%, over the previous $562 billion cap.
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The FY2019 Defense Budget Request: An Overview
Figure 1. FY2019 National Defense Budget Request
(in billions of dollars of budget authority)

Source: Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Analytical Perspectives, Table 26-1. Budget Authority and Outlays by Function, Category, and
Program, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/26-1-fy2019.pdf.

Selected Highlights
The $686.1 billion in discretionary spending for DOD
includes $617.1 billion for the base budget (that is, for the
Personnel/Policy
most part, activities DOD would pursue even if U.S. forces
 16K More Military Personnel. The request includes
were not engaged in combat) and $69.0 billion for the OCO
funding to expand the military to 1.34 million active-
budget (the incremental cost of those military operations).
duty personnel and 817,700 Guard and Reserve
personnel, an increase of 15,600 and 800, respectively,
Budget Comparisons
from the FY2018 enacted level.
The FY2019 DOD discretionary budget of $686.1 billion,
 Increased Force Levels. The request assumes a force
including base and OCO funding, represents an increase of
level of 11,958 personnel in Afghanistan, 5,765 in Iraq
$15.4 billion (2.3%) over the enacted FY2018 amount (see
and Syria, 59,463 for in-theater support, and 16,610 for
Table 1). The FY2019 DOD discretionary base budget of
other mobilization, for a total of 93,796, an increase of
$617.1 billion represents an increase of $18.2 billion (3.0%)
3,153 troops, or 3.5%, over the FY2018 request.
over the enacted FY2018 amount. The FY2019 DOD OCO
 2.6% Military Pay Raise. The request calls for a 2.6%
budget of $69 billion represents an increase of $3.1 billion
military pay raise, the largest since 2010 and in keeping
(4.7%) over the enacted FY2018 amount.
with private-sector wage growth.
OCO Funding Shift
The Administration’s initial FY2019 DOD budget request,
Weapons/Equipment
 Aircraft. The request includes $10.7 billion in funding
released on February 12, 2018, included $89.0 billion
for 77 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets, $3.0 billion for 15
designated for OCO. In a budget amendment published
KC-46A refueling tankers, and $2.2 billion for 10 P-8A
April 13, 2018, the Administration removed the OCO
Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft.
designation from $20.0 billion of funding in its initial
request, in effect, shifting that amount into the base budget
 Missile Defense/Nuclear Deterrence. The request
request after Congress agreed to raise the spending caps.
includes $9.9 billion for the Ballistic Missile Defense
System, $3.7 billion for the Navy’s Columbia-class
In a statement on the budget amendment, White House
submarine program, and $2.3 billion for the Air Force’s
Office of Management and Budget Director Mick
future stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider.
Mulvaney said the FY2019 budget request fixes “long-time

budget gimmicks” in which OCO funding
Ships. The request includes $7.4 billion for two
has been used for
base budget requirements. Beginning in FY2020, “the
Virginia-class submarines and other program costs, $6.0
billion for three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and
Administration proposes returning to OCO’s original
$1.8 billion for the Ford-class aircraft carrier.
purpose by shifting certain costs funded in OCO to the base
budget where they belong,” he wrote.
 Tactical Vehicles. The request includes $2.0 billion for
5,113 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles.
Brendan W. McGarry, Analyst in U.S. Defense Budget
IF10887
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The FY2019 Defense Budget Request: An Overview

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