The House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee (HAC-D) has approved the FY2015 Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations bill.  According to a committee press release, the HAC-D bill would provide $491 billion for the DoD base budget (excluding military construction), $200 million higher than the president’s request.

The HAC-D bill would also provide $79.4 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) in FY2015. This amount is the same as the placeholder request included in the president’s budget. The White House is expected to submit a detailed OCO request soon.

In a statement that accompanied the subcommittee release, HAC-D chairman Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) said the priorities set in the bill “will enhance readiness for our military so they remain prepared to protect America in an increasingly dangerous world.”

The Subcommittee action was held in closed session so the full details are not yet available. But, the press release highlights some major components of the subcommittee mark.

The HAC-D bill would fund a 1.8 percent military pay raise that is authorized in the House-passed FY2015 Defense Authorization bill. The president’s budget requests a 1 percent pay raise for military personnel. The HAC-D bill also rejects the administration’s proposal to reduce the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).

The bill proposes to fund the Defense Health Program (DHP) at $31.6 billion, $360 million below the request. The HAC-D bill also adds $100 million to the Defense Commissary Agency funding level.

Funding in the HAC-D bill for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) programs would total $165 billion, $1.4 billion below the request. Within the amount provided in the bill, an additional $1.2 billion is provided for readiness shortfalls and $791 mission to restore funding cuts to facility sustainment and modernization. Offsetting some of these increases are savings from favorable foreign currency fluctuations ($547 million) and overestimated civilian personnel costs ($592 million). Other HAC-D offsets to O&M programs were not identified in committee-released information.

The bill would provide $91.2 billion for procurement programs, $1.6 billion more than the request.  Included in the bill’s approved procurement level are funds to build six new ships, buy 38 F-35 (Joint Strike Fighter) and 7 KC-46A tankers, 12 EA-18G Growlers, 87 H-60 Blackhawk and 37 MH-60S/R helicopters. The HAC-D rejects the administration’s proposal to delay a decision on refueling the USS George Washington aircraft carrier until 2016 and provides $789 million for the refueling.

Funding in the bill for research and development (R&D) would be $63.4 billion, $171 million below the president’s request. Programs receiving R&D funding include: a new Air Force bomber, next generation JSTARS, Future Unmanned Carrier-based Strike System, Army Ground Combat Vehicle, and Marine Corps Joint Light Tactical Vehicle.

The HAC-D bill also proposes $965 million in recessions of prior-year program funding.