The USA’s FY 2008 Defense Budget

The US Department of Defense has submitted its FY 2008 budget request for $481.4 billion. This is 9.5% more than the FY 2006 request, and 4% more than the $462.8 billion eventually appropriated by Congress in the FY 2007 budget. Note that this is just the first step in a long process that involves bills drawn up in both the House of Representatives and the US Senate, which will add some things, subtract others, and impose conditions. Then the House and Senate bills must be reconciled in committee into one common bill for the President to sign into law. Last year’s FY 2007 budget, introduced in February 2005, was signed into law on October 17, 2006 as Public Law No. 109-364. The US Congress has also made a conscious decision since 9/11 to fund the Global War on Terror’s operational components via supplemental budget requests. In theory, this separates “normal” pay, maintenance, and new equipment buys from war maintenance, aid to allied governments, and replacements for destroyed or broken equipment. The FY 2007 initial supplemental budget request was $70 billion, and this budget request adds $93.4 billion to cover expenses during the remainder of the year. Resources and Materials * […]