The USA’s FY 2010 Defense Budget

The US Department of Defense has submitted its FY 2010 budget request for $533.8 billion. This is 4% more than the FY 2009 base budget, but that is no longer an apples-to-apples comparison, as explained below. Weapons procurement represents $107.4 billion, or about 20% of the total budget. That put it in 3rd place, behind Operations & Maintenance ($185.7 billion), and personnel costs ($136 billion).

DID offers its readers a collection of links to useful reports and original documents related to the FY 2010 budget request, as well as some relevant outside reactions and testimony. So far, the President’s budget request generally matches Secretary Gates’ April 2009 preview. We will continue to add to this collection over time, and welcome reader suggestions re: useful materials, articles, and analyses via tips@…

• The American Budget Process
  
• Readings and Sources
  

PMA Group: A Look Inside the Earmark Game

“Looking at Earmarks: Legislators for Sale?” examined some legislator’s records with respect to earmarks, provisions inserted into spending bills that target specific firms and products. That article looked at the range of earmarks given out, and corresponding campaign contributions from the recipients of a politician’s earmarks. FBI ABSCAM investigation target John Murtha [D-PA], James Moran [D-NJ], and Pete Viclosky [D-IN] all figured prominently, but the report showed a wide range of behaviors by politicians in both parties.

In March 2009, Congressional Quarterly covered the story of former Murtha aide Paul Magliocchetti, whose PMA Group lobbying firm is at the center of an FBI probe following an FBI search of its suburban Virginia office in late 2008. The firm disbanded at the end of March 2009, but that hasn’t stopped the investigations.

Including a more recent investigation into defective combat helmets…