Senate Passes Marks Up Defense Spending Bill

This is not an unexpected step in the budget process, the Senate does not have a history of challenging the Presidents DoD budget, and that goes for every president.

The measure would provide all or most of the administration's recommendations for major procurement programs, including the Army's massive Future Combat System and the national ballistic missile defense.

It also funded all the Navy's shipbuilding proposals, including the controversial DDG-1000 destroyer, for which the Navy has reversed its support twice since the budget was unveiled.

That puts the Senate bill at odds with the measure approved by the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, which made cuts in the FCS and the national missile defense effort and did not fund a third DDG-1000.

We now have two different appropriations bills from the House and Senate, with the DDG-1000 being part of the disagreement. While we have all seen the news there will be a third DDG-1000, it is not a guarantee, and given the way the saga has unfolded one never knows what might happen.