House OKs $245.3-Billion Defense Bill

The House passed a $245.3-billion defense spending bill for fiscal 1997 Thursday after narrowly defeating an attempt, backed by Republican fiscal conservatives, to freeze the budget at 1996 levels.

The Clinton administration opposes the bill as a budget buster, but supporters said it still failed to keep funding ahead of the inflation rate. It passed 278 to 126.

The proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 was $2.3 billion above current year levels and $10.6 billion more than the Clinton administration requested. It still must be considered by the Senate.

In particular, the House approved a budget for new weapons procurement that topped the president’s request by more than $5 billion. That includes two additional C-17 transport planes for a total of 10, two V-22 tilt-rotor Marine Corps transports for a total of six and an extra $636 million for precision-guided munitions and modifications to the B-1 and B-2 bombers so they can carry those “smart weapons.”

The bill adds $705 million to the president’s request for ballistic missile defense programs, for a total of $3.5 billion.

The White House released a statement saying that President Clinton’s military advisors would recommend that he veto the bill because it adds weapons and systems the Pentagon never requested. “With the nation facing serious budget constraints, the committee’s recommended increase for this bill is not affordable,” it said.

But supporters said that even with the increases the defense budget would decline for the 12th straight year when inflation is considered.

Military commanders, said Rep. Gerald B.H. Solomon (R-N.Y.), “are telling us that the modernization of our weaponry is grossly underfunded and that’s no way to treat the people, the all-volunteer military, that we have today.”

The House defeated, 219 to 194, an amendment by Connecticut Republican Rep. Christopher Shays to freeze defense spending at the current level.

Shays, who said it was only fair to freeze defense spending when domestic programs are being cut, was joined by 59 other Republicans in supporting the amendment, but it went down with 58 Democrats joining 161 Republicans in opposing it.