Defense Spending and Your District
link to page 1 
Updated July 19, 2024
Defense Spending and Your District
Defense spending touches every Member of Congress’s
systems); routine maintenance of aircraft, ground vehicles,
district through pay and benefits for military
and ships; headquarters and supply operations; and paying
servicemembers and retirees, economic and environmental
civilian personnel. O&M funding also supports the Military
impact of installations, and procurement of weapons
Health System (MHS), which offers health care benefits
systems and parts from local industry, among other
and services through its TRICARE program to
activities. This product is intended to familiarize Members
approximately 9.6 million beneficiaries composed of
with the scope of federal funding for defense-related
servicemembers, military retirees, and family members.
activities, and to help prepare them to deliberate on defense
The MHS administers Congressionally Directed Medical
policy and funding legislation.
Research Programs funding to certain medical research
programs on a variety of diseases and topics. O&M funding
Major Activities in Defense Policy
also supports military training exercises and other activities
Members typically influence defense policy and funding in
related to readiness (i.e., the ability of military forces to
legislation that addresses three broad categories of national
fight and meet the demands of assigned missions).
defense-related activities: 1) military and intelligence
activities of the Department of Defense (DOD); 2) atomic
Figure 1. FY2025 DOD Budget Request, by Major
energy defense activities primarily of the Department of
Appropriation (as Share of Discretionary Funding)
Energy, including development of nuclear weapons and
propulsion systems; and 3) other defense-related activities
(e.g., FBI counterintelligence activities). In the President’s
FY2025 budget request to Congress, national defense-
related activities accounted for $921 billion (12%) of $7.5
trillion in total federal funding. Of the $921 billion, $895
billion was requested for discretionary budget authority
(i.e., funding provided in appropriations acts). Congress can
choose to provide lesser, the same, or greater amounts.
DOD Budget
With DOD accounting for $850 billion (95%) of the $895
billion in discretionary funding requested for national
defense-related activities, the annual defense budget
process provides an opportunity for Members to prioritize
funding for various types of military activities. In terms of
Source: CRS analysis of White House Office of Management and
major categories, or titles, the largest share of funding in
Budget, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government,
DOD’s portion of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2025
Fiscal Year 2025, Table 25-1.
budget request was $337.9 billion (40%) for Operation and
Notes: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Maintenance (O&M) to operate and maintain the armed
services; followed by $181.9 billion (21%) for Military
Military Personnel
Personnel (MILPERS) to pay for servicemembers; $167.5
Every congressional district has some military-connected
billion (20%) for Procurement to buy weapons, equipment,
constituents, such as active-duty servicemembers,
and services; $143.2 billion (17%) for Research,
reservists, retirees, DOD employees, contractors, and/or
Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) to develop
military families. During the legislative cycle, Members
new technology; $15.6 billion (2%) for military
may weigh decisions about compensation, benefits (e.g.,
construction (MILCON) to fund construction projects and
healthcare, leave time), and other policies that affect these
land acquisition; $2.0 (0.2%) for family housing (FH); and
populations. The basic MILPERS spending questions
$1.7 billion (0.2%) for revolving funds (see Figure 1).
facing Congress on an annual basis typically include “How
many people?” and “How much to pay them?” Title 10,
Operation and Maintenance
Section 101, of the United States Code gives Congress the
Members and their staff typically express interest in O&M
authority to establish end-strengths (the total force size) for
activities, in part because this portion of the DOD budget
the active and reserve components. Elements of military
funds a range of activities occurring in or around
compensation (e.g., basic pay and housing allowances) are
congressional districts—and throughout the world. These
specified in law, including formulas tying pay increases to
activities include military recruiting; minor repairs of
inflation, unless modified by Congress. Factors influencing
military installations (e.g., replacing roofs, refinishing wall
force size and compensation decisions may include
surfaces, repairing or replacing heating and cooling
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Spending and Your District
economic conditions, recruiting and retention concerns,
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
fiscal constraints, and private-sector trends.
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and Senate
Armed Services Committee (SASC) have jurisdiction over
Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
all bills, resolutions, and other matters relating to the
Many congressional districts include universities, federally
common defense under the Rules of the House and Senate.
funded research and development centers, or other entities
These committees typically draft, amend, and report to their
that receive funding to develop defense technologies and
respective chambers a version of the annual NDAA.
new weapons components or systems. DOD’s RDT&E
Referred to as the authorizers (or the authorizing
accounts fund a range of activities, including basic research
committees), the HASC and SASC each have
examining promising areas of scientific advancement,
subcommittees that are assigned jurisdictional
advanced research to develop prototype military systems
responsibilities by the full committee.
for field testing, and software and digital technology
programs. Some RDT&E funding is provided to colleges
Defense Appropriations Acts
and universities to study general areas of research with
The House Appropriations Committee (HAC) and Senate
defense applications.
Appropriations Committee (SAC) exercise jurisdiction over
annual appropriations measures. Each committee has 12
Procurement
subcommittees, each of which is responsible for developing
Some congressional districts include companies that receive
one regular annual appropriations bill. These measures
funding to manufacture defense weapon systems, provide
generally determine which and how department activities
services and supplies to the U.S. military, and carry out
will be funded. HAC and SAC subcommittee jurisdictions
other contractual activities. From major defense contractors
are parallel. The main subcommittees that deal with defense
(e.g., Lockheed Martin and Boeing) to smaller suppliers,
matters are the Subcommittees on Defense; Military
more than 200,000 companies make up the defense
Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies; and
industrial base that manufactures and supplies DOD
Energy and Water Development.
weapons systems. DOD procurement accounts typically
fund the purchase of new equipment and modifications to
Member Requests and Oversight Activities
existing weapons, including ships, aircraft, ground combat
In developing annual defense authorization and
vehicles, munitions; and other products and services.
appropriations legislation for consideration in the House
and Senate, the aforementioned committees typically
Military Construction
establish processes for soliciting requests from Members
Some Members may have substantial military infrastructure
for funding or directing certain types of action. Such
in their districts, such as military installations, ports, and
requests may take the form of an earmark (i.e., a
weapons depots. MILCON accounts fund military
Community Project Funding Item or Congressionally
construction projects; major infrastructure improvements;
Directed Spending Item for an RDT&E activity or
land acquisition; construction and operation of military
MILCON project in their district or state); funding for a
family housing; privatized housing through the Family
specific program or activity; or language in a bill or report
Housing Improvement Fund and the Military
that directs a briefing, report, or other action (e.g.,
Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund; construction
withholds funding until a condition is met).
and environmental cleanup projects required by the base
closure and realignment commission (BRAC) process; and
In addition to adopting legislative provisions, the
contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
aforementioned committees conduct oversight of defense-
(NATO) Security Investment Program, which funds
related activities in part by holding hearings on the DOD
infrastructure projects and cost-sharing expenses for
budget, military force posture, and other topics. Such
collective defense. MILCON decisions may result in
hearings may feature witnesses from DOD (e.g., senior
economic and environmental impacts on local communities.
civilians, generals and admirals, other military personnel);
other federal agencies; DOD or congressional oversight
Major Defense Legislation and
organizations (e.g., DOD Office of Inspector General,
Committees of Jurisdiction
Government Accountability Office); and nongovernmental
Funding for national defense-related activities is generally
organizations (e.g., academic institutions, think thanks).
subject to an annual defense authorization and
Members of Congress, Congressional Delegations
appropriations process. This two-part process typically
(CODELs), and Staff Delegations (STAFFDELs) may also
involves enactment of: (1) an authorization act to set policy
travel to visit defense facilities in the United States or
and recommend funding levels for defense programs,
abroad to better understand or investigate agency activities
projects, and activities; and (2) appropriations acts to
and implementation of policy.
provide funding for such activities. A single bill, known as
the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA),
Resources
authorizes the vast majority of appropriations for national
defense-related activities. Meanwhile, several
CRS Report R44757, Defense Primer: A Guide for New Members
appropriations acts typically provide funding for such
DOD, Defense Spending by State, FY2022
activities—the largest of which is the Department of
Defense Appropriations Act.
Brendan W. McGarry, Analyst in U.S. Defense Budget
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Spending and Your District
IF12274
Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Manpower
Disclaimer
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 States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12274 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED
Updated July 19, 2024
Defense Spending and Your District
Defense spending touches every Member of Congress’s
systems); routine maintenance of aircraft, ground vehicles,
district through pay and benefits for military
and ships; headquarters and supply operations; and paying
servicemembers and retirees, economic and environmental
civilian personnel. O&M funding also supports the Military
impact of installations, and procurement of weapons
Health System (MHS), which offers health care benefits
systems and parts from local industry, among other
and services through its TRICARE program to
activities. This product is intended to familiarize Members
approximately 9.6 million beneficiaries composed of
with the scope of federal funding for defense-related
servicemembers, military retirees, and family members.
activities, and to help prepare them to deliberate on defense
The MHS administers Congressionally Directed Medical
policy and funding legislation.
Research Programs funding to certain medical research
programs on a variety of diseases and topics. O&M funding
Major Activities in Defense Policy
also supports military training exercises and other activities
Members typically influence defense policy and funding in
related to readiness (i.e., the ability of military forces to
legislation that addresses three broad categories of national
fight and meet the demands of assigned missions).
defense-related activities: 1) military and intelligence
activities of the Department of Defense (DOD); 2) atomic
Figure 1. FY2025 DOD Budget Request, by Major
energy defense activities primarily of the Department of
Appropriation (as Share of Discretionary Funding)
Energy, including development of nuclear weapons and
propulsion systems; and 3) other defense-related activities
(e.g., FBI counterintelligence activities). In the President’s
FY2025 budget request to Congress, national defense-
related activities accounted for $921 billion (12%) of $7.5
trillion in total federal funding. Of the $921 billion, $895
billion was requested for discretionary budget authority
(i.e., funding provided in appropriations acts). Congress can
choose to provide lesser, the same, or greater amounts.
DOD Budget
With DOD accounting for $850 billion (95%) of the $895
billion in discretionary funding requested for national
defense-related activities, the annual defense budget
process provides an opportunity for Members to prioritize
funding for various types of military activities. In terms of
Source: CRS analysis of White House Office of Management and
major categories, or titles, the largest share of funding in
Budget, Analytical Perspectives, Budget of the United States Government,
DOD’s portion of the President’s fiscal year (FY) 2025
Fiscal Year 2025, Table 25-1.
budget request was $337.9 billion (40%) for Operation and
Notes: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Maintenance (O&M) to operate and maintain the armed
services; followed by $181.9 billion (21%) for Military
Military Personnel
Personnel (MILPERS) to pay for servicemembers; $167.5
Every congressional district has some military-connected
billion (20%) for Procurement to buy weapons, equipment,
constituents, such as active-duty servicemembers,
and services; $143.2 billion (17%) for Research,
reservists, retirees, DOD employees, contractors, and/or
Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) to develop
military families. During the legislative cycle, Members
new technology; $15.6 billion (2%) for military
may weigh decisions about compensation, benefits (e.g.,
construction (MILCON) to fund construction projects and
healthcare, leave time), and other policies that affect these
land acquisition; $2.0 (0.2%) for family housing (FH); and
populations. The basic MILPERS spending questions
$1.7 billion (0.2%) for revolving funds (see Figure 1).
facing Congress on an annual basis typically include “How
many people?” and “How much to pay them?” Title 10,
Operation and Maintenance
Section 101, of the United States Code gives Congress the
Members and their staff typically express interest in O&M
authority to establish end-strengths (the total force size) for
activities, in part because this portion of the DOD budget
the active and reserve components. Elements of military
funds a range of activities occurring in or around
compensation (e.g., basic pay and housing allowances) are
congressional districts—and throughout the world. These
specified in law, including formulas tying pay increases to
activities include military recruiting; minor repairs of
inflation, unless modified by Congress. Factors influencing
military installations (e.g., replacing roofs, refinishing wall
force size and compensation decisions may include
surfaces, repairing or replacing heating and cooling
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Spending and Your District
economic conditions, recruiting and retention concerns,
National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
fiscal constraints, and private-sector trends.
The House Armed Services Committee (HASC) and Senate
Armed Services Committee (SASC) have jurisdiction over
Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation
all bills, resolutions, and other matters relating to the
Many congressional districts include universities, federally
common defense under the Rules of the House and Senate.
funded research and development centers, or other entities
These committees typically draft, amend, and report to their
that receive funding to develop defense technologies and
respective chambers a version of the annual NDAA.
new weapons components or systems. DOD’s RDT&E
Referred to as the authorizers (or the authorizing
accounts fund a range of activities, including basic research
committees), the HASC and SASC each have
examining promising areas of scientific advancement,
subcommittees that are assigned jurisdictional
advanced research to develop prototype military systems
responsibilities by the full committee.
for field testing, and software and digital technology
programs. Some RDT&E funding is provided to colleges
Defense Appropriations Acts
and universities to study general areas of research with
The House Appropriations Committee (HAC) and Senate
defense applications.
Appropriations Committee (SAC) exercise jurisdiction over
annual appropriations measures. Each committee has 12
Procurement
subcommittees, each of which is responsible for developing
Some congressional districts include companies that receive
one regular annual appropriations bill. These measures
funding to manufacture defense weapon systems, provide
generally determine which and how department activities
services and supplies to the U.S. military, and carry out
will be funded. HAC and SAC subcommittee jurisdictions
other contractual activities. From major defense contractors
are parallel. The main subcommittees that deal with defense
(e.g., Lockheed Martin and Boeing) to smaller suppliers,
matters are the Subcommittees on Defense; Military
more than 200,000 companies make up the defense
Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies; and
industrial base that manufactures and supplies DOD
Energy and Water Development.
weapons systems. DOD procurement accounts typically
fund the purchase of new equipment and modifications to
Member Requests and Oversight Activities
existing weapons, including ships, aircraft, ground combat
In developing annual defense authorization and
vehicles, munitions; and other products and services.
appropriations legislation for consideration in the House
and Senate, the aforementioned committees typically
Military Construction
establish processes for soliciting requests from Members
Some Members may have substantial military infrastructure
for funding or directing certain types of action. Such
in their districts, such as military installations, ports, and
requests may take the form of an earmark (i.e., a
weapons depots. MILCON accounts fund military
Community Project Funding Item or Congressionally
construction projects; major infrastructure improvements;
Directed Spending Item for an RDT&E activity or
land acquisition; construction and operation of military
MILCON project in their district or state); funding for a
family housing; privatized housing through the Family
specific program or activity; or language in a bill or report
Housing Improvement Fund and the Military
that directs a briefing, report, or other action (e.g.,
Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund; construction
withholds funding until a condition is met).
and environmental cleanup projects required by the base
closure and realignment commission (BRAC) process; and
In addition to adopting legislative provisions, the
contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
aforementioned committees conduct oversight of defense-
(NATO) Security Investment Program, which funds
related activities in part by holding hearings on the DOD
infrastructure projects and cost-sharing expenses for
budget, military force posture, and other topics. Such
collective defense. MILCON decisions may result in
hearings may feature witnesses from DOD (e.g., senior
economic and environmental impacts on local communities.
civilians, generals and admirals, other military personnel);
other federal agencies; DOD or congressional oversight
Major Defense Legislation and
organizations (e.g., DOD Office of Inspector General,
Committees of Jurisdiction
Government Accountability Office); and nongovernmental
Funding for national defense-related activities is generally
organizations (e.g., academic institutions, think thanks).
subject to an annual defense authorization and
Members of Congress, Congressional Delegations
appropriations process. This two-part process typically
(CODELs), and Staff Delegations (STAFFDELs) may also
involves enactment of: (1) an authorization act to set policy
travel to visit defense facilities in the United States or
and recommend funding levels for defense programs,
abroad to better understand or investigate agency activities
projects, and activities; and (2) appropriations acts to
and implementation of policy.
provide funding for such activities. A single bill, known as
the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA),
Resources
authorizes the vast majority of appropriations for national
defense-related activities. Meanwhile, several
CRS Report R44757, Defense Primer: A Guide for New Members
appropriations acts typically provide funding for such
DOD, Defense Spending by State, FY2022
activities—the largest of which is the Department of
Defense Appropriations Act.
Brendan W. McGarry, Analyst in U.S. Defense Budget
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Defense Spending and Your District
IF12274
Kristy N. Kamarck, Specialist in Military Manpower
Disclaimer
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 States. Any CRS Report may be
reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include
copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you
wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.
https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12274 · VERSION 3 · UPDATED