The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 24:1 against the White House’s budget request for the Pentagon. The committee added another $25 billion on top of the president’s $715 billion request.
- Roger Zakheim, director of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation and Institute and former deputy assistant secretary of defense, said this is significant because generally Congress will follow the president’s lead when they are the same party, but that did not happen.
- Zakheim said the $25 billion ensures the Defense Department (DoD) would be funded above the rate of inflation but will not have a fundamental impact on the defense budget.
- Zakheim said 3-5% real growth, along with reform of antiquated processes, would help DoD address challenges from China, Russia and the Middle East.
