Yesterday, the House Appropriations Committee (HAC) approved the FY2014 Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations bill. The HAC bill provides $512.5 billion for the DoD base budget (excluding military construction), almost $3.4 billion below the president’s request.

The HAC bill also provides $85.8 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) in FY2014.

The HAC bill funds a 1.8 percent military pay raise that would be authorized under the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) FY2014 Defense Authorization bill. The president’s budget requests a 1 percent pay raise for military personnel.

The bill proposes to fund the Defense Health Program (DHP) at $33.6 billion, $519 million above the request. Increases are primarily for medical research and medical facility upgrades.

Funding for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) programs in the bill would total $175 billion, $124 million below the request. The bill includes a $922 million increase for what the committee calls underfunded facility sustainment and modernization. The HAC also adds $536 million to cover a shortfall in fuel funding that was reported by the General Accountability Office (GAO).

The HAC bill would provide $98.4 billion for procurement programs, $750 million less than the request.  The bill provides $15 billion to build 8 new ships (including two SSN-774 Attack Submarines, one DDG-51, and four Littoral Combat Ships) and funding to buy 29 F-35 and 21 EA-18G aircraft. The HAC funds the purchase of 73 H-60 Blackhawk (8 more than the request) and the requested 28 CH-47 Chinook helicopters. The bills also provides funds for 18 MV-22 and three CV-22 Osprey aircraft. The HAC includes $1.5 billion for Guard and Reserve equipment, not requested by DoD, and $100 million to modernize the HMMWV (Humvee) vehicle for the Army Guard, also not requested by DOD.

Funding in the bill for research and development totals $66.4 billion, $1.1 billion below the president’s request. The bill funds requests to continue development of the replacement for the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, a new penetrating bomber, and the Next Generation Aerial Refueling Aircraft, and to develop the Ground Combat Vehicle. The bill makes significant funding cuts to development of the Next Generation Jammer (-$100 million) and to continued development of the F-35 aircraft (-$67 million).

The HAC approved bill is expected to go to the House floor before the July 4th recess.