President Obama’s FY 2015 Budget requests $496 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Defense’s (DoD) base budget – a decrease in $500,000 from FY14 enacted levels. The President’s Budget proposal complies with the FY15 spending levels prescribed in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013.
The proposed defense budget represents a significant restructuring and rebalancing of the U.S. military’s priorities. The Obama Administration and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel have proposed cuts in military spending that reduce troop’s strength and force as a part of the nation’s new priorities. As the United States makes the transition out of a decade of ware, it is reducing military to build a smaller, more cost effective force that is more “agile” and technologically superior. The biggest savings will come from cuts to military personnel, which are expected to negatively impact the military’s capabilities.
In order to restore readiness lost under sequestration, the budget seeks to enhance our national security by redirecting savings towards accelerating modernization of key weapons systems, training platforms, and investments in science and technology. The FY15 Budget provides $63.6 billion in funding for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) – a $700 million dollar increase from FY14 levels.
The Obama Administration hopes to increase defense spending in FY 2016. Secretary Hagel believes the nation’s security will be at risk if it is subject to steep, automatic spending cuts imposed by sequestration in 2016. The DoD FY15 Budget will now move on to the House and Senate, where both committees will debate, revise and vote on the spending provisions details.
Before joining CNP (formerly WHD Government Affairs), Steve served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Senate Affairs. He was the key liaison between the Department of Defense (DOD) and the U.S. Senate, assuring that the Senate was informed of the DOD’s plans, programs and goals.
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