FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of S. 3159, as Reported

FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of S. 3159, as Reported

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July 27, 2018
FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of S. 3159, as
Reported
The FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill approved by the
The bill would appropriate a level of funding consistent
Senate Appropriations Committee on June 28 would
with the cap on national defense discretionary budget
appropriate $668 billion for the Department of Defense
authority established by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
(DOD). This amount excludes appropriations for military
(P.L. 115-123). (See CRS Report R44039, The Defense
facility construction and family housing, which are
Budget and the Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked
provided in a separate appropriations bill.
Questions, by Brendan W. McGarry.)
As reported by the committee, the Department of Defense
While the total appropriations in S. 3159 would nearly
Appropriations Act, 2019 (S. 3159) would appropriate
equal the President’s budget request, the Senate bill would
$16.1 billion more than the amount enacted in the FY2018
provide additional funding for a number of programs—with
bill (Division C of P.L. 115-141) and other appropriations
slightly more offsets to other programs. In a report
(an increase of approximately 2.5%), and $0.4 billion less
accompanying the legislation (S.Rept. 115-290), the
than the Administration requested for such programs in
committee described its recommended changes as the:
FY2019 (see Table 1).
“… elimination of funds requested for programs which are
S. 3159 would appropriate $600.1 billion for DOD’s base
lower priority, duplicative, or not supported by firm
budget—activities the department would pursue even if
requirements in out-year development or procurement
U.S. forces were not engaged in operations in Afghanistan,
appropriations; deletion of excess funds based on program
Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere. The bill would appropriate $67.9
delays or slow execution; addition of funds to reflect
billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) to
congressional priorities and to rectify shortfalls in the budget
cover the incremental cost of ongoing operations in the
estimate; and implementation of recommendations in the
Middle East and elsewhere, as well as other requirements.
National Defense Authorization Act.”
Table 1. FY2019 Defense Appropriations: Senate Appropriations Committee-Reported S. 3159
amounts in billions of dollars of discretionary budget authority (numbers may not sum due to rounding)
FY2018 Enacted Defense Appropriations
Regular defense
appropriation
Missile defense
SAC-
(Division C of P.L.
and ship repair
FY2019
Reported

115-141)
(P.L. 115-96)
Total
Request
S. 3159
Base Budget
Military Personnel
133.4
--
133.4
140.7
139.3
Operation and Maintenance
188.2
0.7
189.0
199.5
194.0
Procurement
133.9
2.4
136.3
130.6
135.2
Research and Development
88.3
1.3
89.7
91.1
95.1
Revolving and Mgmt. Funds
1.7
--
1.7
1.5
1.6
Def. Health Program and Other
36.6
--
36.6
35.8
36.3
Related Agencies
1.1
--
1.1
1.1
1.0
General Provisions
-0.9
--
-0.9
0.1
-2.6
Subtotal: Base Budget
582.3
4.5
586.8
600.3
600.1
Overseas Contingency Ops.
65.2
--
65.2
68.1
67.9
Total
647.4
4.5
651.9
668.4
668.0
Source: S.Rept. 115-290.
Notes: The regular FY2018 defense appropriations bill was enacted as Division C of the FY2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 115-
141). An additional $4.5 billion for defense was appropriated as a part of the third FY2018 continuing resolution (P.L. 115-96). These funds,
designated as emergency spending, were primarily allocated to accelerate missile defense improvements and to repair two Pacific Fleet
destroyers damaged in collisions in 2017. These figures do not include other FY2018 appropriations for DOD accounts: $434 million to repair
hurricane damage, designated as emergency funding, appropriated as part of the fifth continuing resolution (P.L. 115-123); and $8.1 billion in
accrual payments to fund the TRICARE for Life program of medical insurance for military retirees, funding which is appropriated automatically
as a matter of permanent law (10 U.S.C. 1111-1117).
https://crsreports.congress.gov

FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of S. 3159, as Reported
Selected Highlights
 No Low-Yield Nuke Funding. The bill would direct

that no FY2019 funding be used to deploy a new low-
End-Strength Increase. The bill would appropriate
yield submarine-launched nuclear ballistic missile
$139.3 billion in the base budget for military personnel,
recommended by the Nuclear Posture Review until
an increase of $5.9 billion over the enacted FY2018
DOD reports on such W76-2 Trident II D5 warheads.
level but $1.4 billion less than the President’s request.
The committee recommended an end-strength increase
 Cruise Missile Defense. The bill would appropriate
of 6,961 personnel over the enacted FY2018 level but
$197 million in research and development funding for
9,439 personnel (including 8,639 active-duty and 800
the Army’s Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC)—
reservists) fewer than the President’s request.
technology designed to protect bases in Europe and Asia

from cruise missile threats—$12 million less than the
Readiness Differences. The bill would appropriate
President’s request. The committee directed the
$194.0 billion in the base budget for operation and
Secretary of the Army to submit a report on the
maintenance (O&M), an increase of $5.0 billion over
service’s review of the program, revised acquisition
the enacted FY2018 level but $5.5 billion less than the
President’s request.
strategy, and resulting resourcing requirements.




Stryker Upgrades. The bill would add $243 million to
Procurement Decrease. The bill would appropriate
the President’s request to upgrade 82 Stryker combat
$135.2 billion in the base budget for procurement, a
vehicles to the Double V-Hull A1 variant to better
decrease of $1.1 billion from the enacted FY2018 level
protect personnel from roadside blasts.
but $4.6 billion more than the President’s request.

Personnel and Health
RDT&E Increase. The bill would appropriate $95.1
billion for research, development, test, and evaluation,
 2.6% Military Pay Raise. The bill would appropriate
an increase of $5.5 billion from the enacted FY2018
funding for a 2.6% military pay raise—the largest
level and $4.1 billion more than the President’s request.
increase since 2010 and matching private-sector wage
growth. It would also support a 1.9% pay raise for DOD
Weapons and Equipment
civilian employees.
 More F-35s. The bill would appropriate $9.8 billion to
 Electronic Health Records. The bill would appropriate
procure 89 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, $1 billion
$2 billion for Defense Health Program information
and 12 aircraft more than the President’s request,
management, including such efforts as Military Health
including $741 million for eight more F-35C carrier
System (MHS) Genesis, the new electronic health
variants for the Navy and Marine Corps, and $285
record system, and necessary technology upgrades
million for four more F-35B short takeoff/vertical-
called Medical Community of Interest (Med-COI) at
landing variants for the Marine Corps. (The figures
implementation sites.
include decrements from estimated “unit cost savings.”)

Foreign Affairs
Selected Aircraft. The bill would appropriate more
funding than the President’s request for a variety of
 Afghanistan. The bill would appropriate $4.7 billion for
other aircraft, including an additional $720 million for
the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund, $533 million less
more AH-64 Apache attack helicopters for the Army
than the President’s request, due in part to “insufficient
National Guard, $300 million for new O/A-X light-
budget justification.” The committee noted DOD
attack aircraft for the Air Force, and $218 million for
“remains unable to provide an accurate accounting of
three more Marine Corps V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
current and prior year spending at the budget
justification request line level.”
 JSTARS/ABMS. The bill would appropriate funding
for the Air Force to continue operating the legacy E-8
 Iraq and Syria. The bill would appropriate $994
Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar (JSTARS) fleet,
million to counter the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria
add $375 million to buy more MQ-9 Reaper drones to
(ISIS), $406 million less than the President’s request,
address near-term risks to battlefield communications,
due to “insufficient budget documentation.”
and direct the Secretary of the Air Force to submit a
More Information
report on the service’s approach to develop the new
Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS).
CRS In Focus IF10887, The FY2019 Defense Budget Request: An
Overview, by Brendan W. McGarry
 Shipbuilding Increase. The bill would appropriate $24
CRS In Focus IF10928, FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An
billion to fund construction of 13 new ships, $2.1 billion
Overview of House-passed H.R. 6157, by Pat Towell
and three ships more than the President’s request. The
additional funding includes $500 million in advance
CRS Appropriations Status Table: FY2019 at
procurement for an LPD-17 Flight II amphibious
http://www.crs.gov/AppropriationsStatusTable/Index
transport dock, $475 million in Littoral Combat Ship

procurement for “Program increase: Additional ship,”
and $350 million in advance procurement for the LHA-9
Brendan W. McGarry, Analyst in US Defense Budget
(landing helicopter assault) amphibious assault ship.
IF10936
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FY2019 Defense Appropriations Bill: An Overview of S. 3159, as Reported

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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10936 · VERSION 2 · NEW