Senate appropriators prep bill to boost defense spending by $21B

Senate appropriators are preparing to mark up a defense spending bill that exceeds the caps mandated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act by $21 billion through "emergency funding."

A Capitol Hill staffer said the increase will accompany a $13.5 billion boost in non-defense emergency spending.

The increase is being characterized as “emergency funding” and not in violation of the FRA.

Meanwhile, the House has approved a defense appropriations bill that sticks to the FRA cap of $895 billion for national defense, with $850 billion specifically for the Defense Department.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), per her office, confirmed the $21 billion defense increase for reporters yesterday.

“We came up with about $21 billion, so we got remarkably close to the amount that the authorizing committee recommended,” she said.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has filed a bill that would break the defense cap by $25 billion.

Collins characterized the non-defense increase sought by Democrats as “emergency funding.”

“This will be emergency funding so it will not break the caps, and I believe it will allow us to fulfill our obligations to the people of this country,” she said.