House committee to mark up defense policy bill this month

House Armed Services Committee lawmakers intend to begin debating their version of the fiscal year 2024 defense authorization bill with subcommittee meetings starting June 13, followed by a marathon full-committee session June 21, the same day as their Senate counterparts.

The committee was initially scheduled to consider the bill in May but had to postpone the process because of the debt limit and spending debate.

The committee released the following schedule:

Tuesday, June 13:

Subcommittee on Strategic Forces 10:00am ET

(Rayburn – 2118 – Open)

Subcommittee on Cyber, Information Technologies, and Innovation at 11:00am ET

(Rayburn – 2212 – Open)

Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces at 12:00pm ET

(Rayburn – 2118 – Open)

Subcommittee on Military Personnel 1:00pm ET

(Rayburn – 2212 – Open)

Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces 2:30pm ET

(Rayburn – 2118 – Open)

Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations 3:30pm ET

(Rayburn – 2212 – Open)

Wednesday, June 14

Subcommittee on Readiness 10:00 am ET

(Rayburn – 2118 – Open)

Wednesday, June 21

Full Committee Markup 10:00am ET

(Rayburn – 2118 – Open)

The Senate Armed Services Committee, meanwhile, is slated to begin considering its version of the defense authorization bill on June 20. While Senate authorizers mark their version of the bill in closed sessions, House lawmakers hold a day-long debate that can stretch into the wee hours.

A debt limit and spending agreement passed last week caps the total FY-24 defense budget at $886 billion, honoring President Biden’s request, despite criticism from senior Republicans that it is not enough.

Senate Republicans, however, are working to build an “emergency defense supplemental” that would include defense spending that is not subject to the cap.