Pentagon officials this week defended the fiscal year 2018 budget request against GOP lawmakers' complaints that the request is only 3 percent more than that planned by the Obama administration. "Well, first of all, 3 percent is not inconsequential," John Roth, acting Pentagon comptroller, told reporters Tuesday. "That is a significant, increased commitment on the part of this administration to defense spending." The Pentagon is seeking $574 billion in base budget funding and $64 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations funding...
