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INSIGHTi
FY2023 NDAA: Summary of Funding
Authorizations
August 19, 2022
Of the $827.0 billion requested in the FY2023 President’s budget for activities within the national defense
budget function, $802.4 billion fell within the scope of the proposed National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2023 (NDAA; H.R. 7900; S. 4543). While the NDAA generally does not provide funding
(i.e., budget authority), historically it has provided an indicator of congressional intent on discretionary
funding for such activities. As deliberation of the FY2023 NDAA continues, Congress is considering
whether to authorize between $37.0 billion (4.6%) and $44.9 billion (5.6%) more than the President
requested, according to the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and the Senate Armed Services
Committee (SASC) reports (H.Rept. 117-397 and S.Rept. 117-130) accompanying their versions of the
legislation (see Table 1). The range of such a potential increase would comprise the largest percentage
growth between requested and authorized funding in the legislation over at least the past decade (see
Table 2).
H.R. 7900
H.R. 7900 would authorize $839.3 billion—$37.0 billion (4.6%) more than requested. The legislation
would authorize additional funding for each Department of Defense (DOD) appropriation title, including
$16.0 billion more for procurement (with additional funding for Navy ships and aircraft; Air Force
aircraft; and Army weapons, tracked combat vehicles, and missiles); $8.5 billion more for research,
development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) activities; and $4.3 billion more for military construction and
family housing projects (see Table 1). The legislation would authorize at least several billion dollars to
cover inflationary effects, including $3.5 billion in inflation adjustments to complete existing military
construction projects, according to CRS analysis of selected line items; $2.5 billion for increased fuel
costs; and $800 million for an “inflation bonus pay” for certain military personnel.
During HASC markup of the legislation, Representative Jared Golden offered an amendment to increase
funding authorized in the bill by $37 billion. Golden said, “We need only look to world events in Ukraine,
read reports regarding China’s plans and actions in the South China Sea, or simply read the latest
headlines about Iranian nuclear ambitions and North Korean missile tests, as well as ongoing terrorist
threats in order to see why this funding is necessary to meet the security challenges of our time.” Golden
also said inflationary pressures were hampering the military’s ability to procure equipment, invest in
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emerging technologies, and pay and support personnel. The committee agreed to the amendment, 42-17.
Among those who voted against the amendment was Representative Adam Smith, Chair of HASC, who
said, “Making sure that the Pentagon has some fiscal discipline and is forced to make tough decisions and
not just always rely on another pot of money coming along is crucial to modernization.”
During debate of H.R. 7900 on the House floor, Representative Barbara Lee offered an amendment that
would have restored funding authorized in the legislation to the level requested in the President’s budget.
Lee said, “Americans are demanding that Congress rebalance our priorities and invest in the biggest
challenges which we face. This $37 billion could be better spent ... to extend the child and earned income
tax credit, improve healthcare access, and pay for Medicare hearing benefits for seniors.” The House did
not agree to the amendment, 151-277.
In response to H.R. 7900, the White House pledged to work with Congress to set “appropriate and
responsible levels” of defense and nondefense spending.
S. 4543
S. 4543 would authorize $846.9 billion—$44.9 billion (5.6%) more than requested. The legislation would
authorize additional funding for each DOD appropriation title, including $13.8 billion more for
procurement (with additional funding for Air Force and Navy aircraft; Army missiles; and Navy ships);
$11.3 billion more for operation and maintenance; and $7.7 billion more for RDT&E (see Table 1). The
legislation would authorize $13 billion of the increased funding for “inflation effects.”
Senator Jim Inhofe, Ranking Member of SASC, described his amendment to increase authorized funding
in the legislation for inflation and other purposes in part as “a demonstration of our commitment to our
men and women in uniform and our willingness to compete, deter, and if necessary, defeat any
adversaries.” The committee adopted the amendment, 25-1. Senator Elizabeth Warren, who opposed the
amendment, has previously said spending priorities are misaligned with threats facing Americans, such as
COVID-19.
Table 1. Summary of Funding Authorizations in FY2023 NDAA
(in billions of dollars of discretionary budget authority)
President’s
SASC-
% Change
Budget
House-passed
reported (S.
(Authorized
Title
Request
(H.R. 7900)
4543)
Authorized
- Request)
Procurement
$144.22
$160.20
$157.98
Research and Development
$130.10
$138.64
$137.75
Operation and Maintenance
$271.22
$274.27
$282.56
Military Personnel
$173.88
$174.54
$179.76
Defense Health Program and
$40.91
$44.31
$41.78
Other DOD
Military Construction and Family
$12.15
$16.47
$17.33
Housing
Subtotal, Department of
$772.48
$808.43
$817.15
Defense-Military (051)
Atomic Energy Defense
$29.50
$30.54
$29.71
Programs (053)
Defense-Related Activities
$0.38
$0.38
$0.00
(054)
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President’s
SASC-
% Change
Budget
House-passed
reported (S.
(Authorized
Title
Request
(H.R. 7900)
4543)
Authorized
- Request)
Total
$802.36
$839.35
$846.87
Source: H.Rept. 117-397 (Part 1) accompanying H.R. 7900, pp. 405-410; and S.Rept. 117-130 accompanying S. 4543, pp.
380-383.
Note: Totals may not sum due to rounding. Dol ars rounded to nearest hundredth; percentages rounded to nearest
tenth. The “Authorized” and “% Change” columns are blank because the FY2023 NDAA has not been enacted.
Table 2. Requested and Authorized Funding in the National Defense Authorization Act,
FY2013-FY2022
(in billions of dollars of discretionary budget authority)
% Change
President’s Budget
(Authorized-
Fiscal Year
Public Law (P.L.)
Request
Authorized
Request)
2013
P.L. 112-239
$631.60
$633.34
0.3%
2014
P.L. 113-66
$625.15
$625.14
0.0%
2015
P.L. 113-291
$577.15
$577.15
0.0%
2016
P.L. 114-92
$604.21
$599.21
-0.8%
2017
P.L. 114-328
$607.98
$611.17
0.5%
2018
P.L. 115-91
$665.72
$692.10
4.0%
2019
P.L. 115-232
$708.11
$708.10
0.0%
2020
P.L. 116-92
$741.93
$729.93
-1.6%
2021
P.L. 116-283
$731.61
$731.61
0.0%
2022
P.L. 117-81
$743.09
$768.21
3.4%
Source: CRS analysis of funding tables in conference reports or explanatory statements accompanying National Defense
Authorization Acts. Links to sources are embedded in figures.
Note: Dol ars rounded to nearest hundredth; percentages rounded to nearest tenth. The “% Change” column is the
percentage change between authorized and requested amounts.
Author Information
Brendan W. McGarry
Analyst in U.S. Defense Budget
Disclaimer
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This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
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