Committee Approves FY25 Defense Appropriations Act

June 13, 2024
Press Release

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Appropriations Committee met to consider the Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act. The measure was approved by the Committee with a vote of 34 to 25.

 

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Defense Subcommittee Chairman Ken Calvert (R-CA) said, “This bill provides the resources necessary for our military to deter conflict and prevail in war. The spending priorities included in this bill acknowledge that the threats against the United States are no longer a future challenge, but a current reality. The Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Bill provides our warfighters with the resources they need to meet these challenges by prioritizing capabilities that counter China, increasing investments in rapidly-fielded innovative technologies, reforming the Pentagon’s business practices, and increasing the Department’s role in countering the China-supplied fentanyl crisis. Recognizing that our national security is only as resilient as our military members and families are, this bill fully funds a military pay raise and includes a historic pay increase for our junior enlisted servicemembers. I am proud of this bill and pleased to see it pass full committee today, and grateful to Chairman Cole for his leadership.”

Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said, “Freedom endures because of the selfless people willing to defend their nation at all cost. Our troops have committed to that sacred oath, and their cause continues to be summoned. Renewed threats and aggressors across the globe echo imperialism of the past and challenge U.S. safety and interests. It’s why providing our men and women in uniform with the tools needed to deter, fight, and win is imperative. This FY25 bill strengthens America’s defense and the readiness of our armed forces. Chairman Calvert focused resources on the Pentagon’s core mission of delivering a combat-ready military that can prevent war and protect our great nation. Voting to advance this bill is core to keeping our military the strongest fighting force in the world.”

Subcommittee Chairman Calvert’s opening remarks are available here.

Chairman Cole's opening remarks are available here.

Fiscal Year 2025 Defense Appropriations Act

The Defense Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $833.053 billion, which is $8.57 billion (1%) above the Fiscal Year 2024 level and consistent with the limit set in law by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The bill strategically refocuses the Pentagon on its core mission: delivering combat-ready military forces to deter war and ensure national security. It eliminates funding for divisive social agendas and initiatives that do not align with the Department’s primary purpose.

Due to persistent oversight of program execution across the Department of Defense (DOD), the bill rejects $18 billion in unjustified and unnecessary items included in the President’s Budget Request and redirects those resources to programs and activities that counter the People’s Republic of China and other near-peer adversaries, foster innovation, enhance the DOD’s role in combating the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs, and support servicemembers and their families.

Key Takeaways

  • Prioritizes the fight against China by:
    • Allocating $200 million for Taiwan's international security cooperation programs and prioritizing defense articles and services to Taiwan.
    • Preventing the early retirement of three ships and retaining the U-2 and certain F-15s, rejecting the Biden Administration’s naval and air force divestment plans.
    • Increasing investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft like the F-35 and Next Generation Air Dominance.
    • Supporting the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which enhances U.S. military capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region, including funding for several INDOPACOM unfunded priorities.
  • Promotes innovation and modernizes our military by:
    • Funding the Office of Strategic Capital’s loans and loan guarantees to maximize the use of private capital to advance emerging technologies and manufacturing, including through private investment funds.
    • Allocating over $1.3 billion for the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and select Defense-Wide innovation efforts to deliver capabilities from nontraditional sources, including small and medium-sized businesses.
      • Continuing $220 million in direct support to combatant commanders through the DIU to quickly obtain the cutting-edge technology and weapons they need and to rapidly get them to the warfighter.
      • Increasing funding for DIU Fielding efforts and the military services to accelerate acquisition processes to ensure we have the most innovative technology in time for the fight.
      • Fostering competition to attract America’s best companies and talent, increasing flexibility for DIU Fielding in exchange for greater transparency with Congress.
      • Providing $400 million for the Accelerate the Procurement and Fielding of Innovative Technologies (APFIT) program to help bridge a “Valley of Death” and transition cutting-edge capabilities to the warfighter in an accelerated timeline.
    • Investing in next-generation fighter aircraft, helicopters, tactical combat vehicles, and submarines.
    • Supporting the modernization of the nuclear triad: the B-21 Raider, the Columbia Class Submarine, and Sentinel.
  • Provides for our servicemembers and their families by:
    • Funding a 4.5% pay raise for all military personnel.
    • Providing $2.5 billion for an additional 15% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers.
    • Prohibiting the moving of National Guard missions, functions, or personnel to the Space Force in contravention of current law.
  • Continues to optimize the Pentagon’s civilian workforce by:
    • Cutting over $916 million from the President’s Budget Request for the civilian workforce.
    • Maintaining pressure on the Pentagon and the military services to, in coordination with the Department’s technology experts, take a serious look at what functions can be done better by technology than by civilians.
    • Ensuring the Department has an appropriate workforce for areas that directly serve the warfighter, like depots and shipyards.
    • Cutting $500 million from the President’s Budget Request for excess advisory and assistance contractors.
    • Identifying $100 million in savings to account for efficiencies and management improvements.
  • Enhances DOD’s role in countering the flow of illicit fentanyl and synthetic opioids by:
    • Allocating $1.14 billion for drug interdiction and counterdrug activities, which is $242 million above the President’s Budget Request.
    • Increasing funding for the National Guard Counterdrug Program.
    • Transferring Mexico from U.S. Northern Command’s jurisdiction to U.S. Southern Command for better coordination and prioritization.
  • Supports our close ally Israel by:
    • Providing $500 million for the Israeli Cooperative Missile Defense Programs, to include Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow missile defense systems.
    • Providing $80 million above the President’s Budget Request for U.S.-Israeli anti-tunneling cooperation.
    • Providing $55 million above the President’s Budget Request for counter-UAS development and directed energy and laser technology cooperation.
    • Prohibiting funds to withhold the delivery of defense articles and defense services from the United States to Israel, requiring that any defense article withheld from delivery to Israel be delivered within 15 days, and requiring the Secretary of Defense to obligate any remaining unobligated balances for assistance for Israel within 30 days.
    • Prohibiting funds for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
  • Focuses the Department on its core responsibilities by:
    • Cutting $18 billion from the President’s Budget Request and redirecting that funding to address warfighting needs, counter China, and support our servicemembers and their families.
    • Cutting $621.2 million from the President’s Budget Request for climate change initiatives.
    • Cutting $53 million from the President’s Budget Request for diversity and inclusion initiatives.
    • Prohibiting funds to House illegal immigrants on military installations.
    • Prohibiting censoring constitutionally protected speech of Americans.
    • Prohibiting funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion offices.
    • Prohibiting the implementation, administration, or enforcement of the Biden Administration’s executive orders on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
    • Defunding the position of Deputy Inspector General for Diversity and Inclusion and Extremism in the Military and the position of Chief Diversity Officer.
    • Prohibiting the use of funds to perform medical procedures that attempt to change an individual’s biological gender.
    • Prohibiting events on military installations or as part of recruiting programs that bring discredit upon the military, such as a drag queen story hour for children or the use of drag queens as military recruiters.
    • Prohibiting the promotion or advancement of critical race theory (CRT).
    • Prohibiting funding for the President’s controversial climate change executive orders and regulations.
  • Supports American values and principles by:
    • Prohibiting paid leave and travel or related expenses of a federal employee or their dependents to obtain an abortion or abortion-related services.
    • Protecting Americans against religious discrimination.
    • Prohibiting the recruitment, hiring, or promotion of any person who has been convicted of charges related to child pornography or other sexual misconduct.
    • Prohibiting the granting, renewing, or maintaining of a security clearance for individuals listed as a signatory on the “Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails” dated October 19, 2020.
    • Prohibiting contracts with NewsGuard Technologies Inc. which is known to target conservative news outlets.
    • Preventing COVID-19 vaccine and mask mandates.
    • Prohibiting funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology and EcoHealth Alliance.

 

A summary of the bill is available here.

During the markup, Committee Republicans rejected amendments offered by the Democrats that would have:

  • Allowed resources to be directed to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, EcoHealth Alliance, or other laboratories owned or controlled by the People’s Republic of China.
  • Dropped longstanding provisions prohibiting the closure of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and the use of military construction funds to build a detention center in the United States or territories, which would have allowed the transfer of dangerous terrorists to U.S. soil.
  • Reimplemented the COVID-19 mask and vaccine mandates.
  • Provided funding for hormone therapies or surgeries for sex changes.
  • Exposed Americans to religious discrimination.
  • Allowed the granting, renewing, or maintaining of a security clearance for individuals listed as a signatory on the “Public Statement on the Hunter Biden Emails” dated October 19, 2020.
  • Allowed funds to be used to label Americans’ constitutionally protected speech as “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “malinformation.”
  • Promoted and advanced critical race theory.
  • Enforced unnecessary "green" and climate disclosure regulations.
  • Allowed the use of funds for paid leave and travel or related expenses of a federal employee or their dependents for the purposes of obtaining an abortion or abortion-related services.
  • Allowed the use of funds for events on military installations or as part of recruiting programs that bring discredit upon the military, such as a drag queen story hour for children or the use of drag queens as military recruiters.
  • Provided funding for hormone therapies or surgeries for sex changes.
  • Funded unnecessary and polarizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
  • Allowed the Department of Homeland Security to house illegal aliens on military bases.
  • Directed funding to NewsGuard Technologies Inc., which is known to target conservative news outlets.

Adopted Amendments

  • Calvert (Manager’s Amendment) – Makes technical, bipartisan changes to the bill and report.
    • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
  • Clyde #2 – Prohibits funds for the construction, maintenance, operation, or assembly of any pier or any structure built off the coast of Gaza.
    • The amendment was adopted by voice vote.
  • Clyde #3 –
    • Prohibits the hiring of individuals based on gender, religion, political affiliation, or race.
    • Reaffirms law that allows only approved flags to be flown over DOD facilities.
    • The amendment was adopted by a vote of 32 to 24.

 

Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here.

Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here.

 

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