The White House budget office has directed all department and agency heads to draw up plans for spending increases in fiscal year 2019 for activities that "fill a clear federal role" by preparing budget proposals that include options for a 5 percent increase above FY-18 requested levels, a change that could lift the Pentagon's base budget to $603 billion in FY-19, a nearly $29 billion boost. The Trump administration's FY-18 Pentagon spending request -- $574 billion for the base budget...
