The House today passed the fiscal year 2017 Defense Appropriations bill on a vote of 371-48. The bill will now head to the Senate for approval.
The bill closely reflects the Defense Appropriations bill the House passed last summer, and is consistent with the final National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2017. The legislation funds critical national security needs, including military operations and readiness programs, as well as health and quality-of-life programs for our troops and military families.
In total, the bill provides $577.9 billion, an increase of $5.2 billion over the fiscal year 2016 enacted level and $1.6 billion more than the Obama Administration's request. This includes $516.1 billion in base discretionary funding -- an increase of $2 billion above current levels -- and $61.8 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO)/Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) funding -- $3.2 billion above current levels. When combined with the $5.8 billion in supplemental funding enacted in the December Continuing Resolution, total Defense funding for fiscal year 2017 is $583.7 billion, an increase of $10.9 billion over fiscal year 2016. The agreement also fully funds the authorized 2.1 percent pay raise for the military.
"Our nation faces dangerous, unpredictable threats across the world -- as well as a readiness crisis within our military at a time we can ill-afford it. We must rebuild our military to address this crisis and to tackle these threats -- and that starts with this bill," Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said. "I applaud the House for passing this important, bipartisan legislation today."