{"id":36761,"date":"2021-08-09T16:47:36","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T16:47:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/08\/09\/senate-dems-35t-budget-proposes-small-increases-to-defense-spending\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:59:15","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:59:15","slug":"senate-dems-35t-budget-proposes-small-increases-to-defense-spending","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/congress\/2021\/08\/09\/senate-dems-35t-budget-proposes-small-increases-to-defense-spending\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Dems\u2019 $3.5T budget proposes small increases to defense spending"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 Senate Democrats on Monday unveiled a $3.5 trillion budget blueprint that proposes limited increases for defense budgets<\/a> through 2031.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While non-binding, the numbers are politically symbolic, and it\u2019s unclear whether the roughly flat top-lines for national defense will repel centrist Democrats or not, especially given the other Democratic priorities in the bill. Party leaders will need all 50 of their members to stay unified to pass the budget blueprint, focused on expanding America\u2019s social safety net, without any Republican votes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the national defense budget category \u201c050,\u201d which includes Department of Energy weapons programs and the Pentagon budget, the blueprint proposes $765.7 billion in budget authority for fiscal 2022. The number, which includes mandatory spending, tracks with the administration\u2019s fiscal 2022 budget request for $753 billion in discretionary defense spending, according to a Senate aide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the out-years, the blueprint proposes 2 percent annual increases through 2026 and then 1 percent increases per year through 2031, its final year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That could rankle Republicans and some Democrats who have said annual increases for defense of 3 to 5 percent above inflation are needed to counter a rising China and other global threats. Some have argued that defense budget boosts that lag inflation are not flat but in fact cuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Democrats\u2019 reckless $3.5 trillion tax-and-spend spree increases funding for everything but our national defense,\u201d Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., said in a statement. \u201cThat\u2019s probably the largest \u2015 but certainly not the only \u2015 unacceptable part of this blueprint for more government, more taxes and higher prices. American families can\u2019t afford this spending spree, especially because a lack of investment in national defense only puts us further behind China and Russia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The budget resolution, which maps $3.5 trillion in spending boosts and tax breaks aimed at strengthening social and environmental programs, sets up an autumn battle over President Joe Biden\u2019s domestic policy ambitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The budget\u2019s introduction marks the start of a long legislative trek through Congress that Democrats hope will result this fall in a progressive reshaping of government. To succeed, they\u2019ll have to overcome likely unanimous Republican opposition and find the sweet spot between the demands of their own often antagonist progressive and moderate factions.<\/p>\n\n\n\t