Defense

House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers gave the following statement on H.R. 2219, the fiscal year 2012 Defense Appropriations bill, on the floor of the House today:

"Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 2219, the Fiscal Year 2012 Defense Appropriations Bill.

"The nearly $649 billion in total funding contained within this legislation will provide our armed forces with the resources they need for our nation's missions abroad and the protection of our people here at home.

"The fiscal year 2012 Department of Defense base budget recommendation before us today is $530 billion, which is $8.9 billion below the request. The overseas contingency operations recommendation is $118.7 billion, which is $842 million above the request. This increase is mostly attributable to the transfer of the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund from the State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee to the Defense Subcommittee.

"I would like to start by thanking Chairman Young and Ranking Member Dicks for your remarks and for your commitment to crafting a bipartisan Defense bill that supports our troops and addresses our critical national security needs.

"The $530 billion in non-emergency funding contained within this Defense bill will provide our armed forces with the resources they need, and will allow for the advancement of our nation's missions abroad and the protection of our people here at home.