{"id":27333,"date":"2018-03-22T17:08:20","date_gmt":"2018-03-22T17:08:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/22\/us-house-passes-pentagon-boosting-omnibus-as-shutdown-looms\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:17:37","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:17:37","slug":"us-house-passes-pentagon-boosting-omnibus-as-shutdown-looms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2018\/03\/22\/us-house-passes-pentagon-boosting-omnibus-as-shutdown-looms\/","title":{"rendered":"US House passes Pentagon-boosting omnibus as shutdown looms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 The GOP-led House passed a sweeping $1.3 trillion spending bill<\/a>, with $700 billion for defense, in a race to move the massive bill through Congress and avoid a government shutdown<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The vote was 256-167 for the 2,232-page spending package that congressional leaders released Wednesday evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The White House has said President Donald Trump will sign the bill, but the Senate must pass it before 11:59 p.m. Friday or government funding will lapse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Touted by GOP leaders as the largest year-on-year increase in defense spending in 15 years, includes $654.6 billion for the Pentagon, surpassing Trump\u2019s request by $15.5 billion and funding new ships<\/a>, jets<\/a> and missile defense<\/a>. The bill also includes some limited flexibility<\/a> to compensate for its introduction in the midway through the fiscal year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis bill provides the largest increase in defense spending in 15 years. Why? Frankly because our military’s been hollowed \u2014 hollowed out for many years,\u201d said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said ahead of the vote. \u201cWe’re boosting resources for training, equipment, maintenance, base operations. It means new naval ships, new fighters, new helicopters. It means we are finally building a 21st century fighting force.\u201d
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To rally support, the messaging from Republicans leaders in both chambers amplified the military funding boost in the bill and the military\u2019s challenges. For months, GOP leaders have vocally cast the military as underfunded by budget caps, evidenced by high-profile military accidents they attribute to dire training and maintenance backlogs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFirst and foremost, in my view, this bill will mark the end of disproportionate and harmful cuts to the Department of Defense,\u201d Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said in a floor speech Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese new funding levels will ensure that the training and tools available to our service members remain on the cutting edge, and at long last veterans will receive more transparent and more accessible care. This has been a top priority on our side of the aisle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After weeks of closed-door negotiations to match appropriations to the February deal on the budget\u2019s top line, the bill was unveiled at 9 p.m. Wednesday. A narrowly passed House rule allowed one hour to debate the bill in the lower chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the omnibus passed by a comfortable margin, it saw 90 Republican defectors vote \u201cnay.\u201d Of Democrats, 111 voted \u201cyea,\u201d while 77 voted \u201cnay,\u201d including House Armed Services Ranking Member Adam Smith, D-Wash., and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lead Democrats groused about having to rush to pass a bill there was little time to read, and the conservative House Freedom Caucus opposed the bill over its size, arguing it included too many Democrat-friendly policy provisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Senate could take up the bill as soon as Thursday, though it\u2019s unclear whether Sen. Rand Paul<\/a>, the most likely senator to force a temporary government shutdown, will do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShame, shame,\u201d Paul, R-Ky., said on Twitter Thursday morning. \u201cA pox on both Houses – and parties. $1.3 trillion. Busts budget caps. 2200 pages, with just hours to try to read it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senate Republicans have a narrow majority, and some members in their conference have expressed misgivings. Fiscally conservative Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., confirmed he would vote \u201cno,\u201d telling ABC News, \u201cI don\u2019t support grotesque things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It is unacceptable that we continue to lose so many American personnel in accidents and training incidents. This defense funding bill finally gives our service members the tools and resources they need to do their job. pic.twitter.com\/ig23fBIDld<\/a><\/p>— Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) March 22, 2018<\/a><\/blockquote>