http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-0House passes $649B defense spending bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Friday overwhelmingly passed a $649 billion defense spending bill that boosts the Pentagon budget by $17 billion and covers the costs The strong bipartisan vote was 336-87 and reflected lawmakers' intent to ensure national security, preserve defense jobs across the nation and avoid deep cuts while the country is at war.
While House Republican leaders slashed billions from all other government agencies, the Defense Department is the only one that will see a double-digit increase in its budget beginning Oct. 1.
Amid negotiations to cut spending and raise the nation's borrowing limit, the House rejected several amendments to cut the Pentagon budget, including a measure by Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., to halve the bill's increase in defense spending.
"We are at a time of austerity. We are at a time when the important programs, valid programs, are being cut back," Frank said.
Scoffing at the suggestion that "everything is on the table" in budget negotiations between the Obama administration and congressional leaders, Frank said, "The military budget is not on the table. The military is at the table, and it is eating everybody else's lunch. my comment?"to insure national security and preserve jobs in the defense industry?"
Bob
BobSoWal InsiderO'Wal10,368 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
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3idlewindidlewindBeach FanaticWalton/Okaloosa County and a little south alabama 2,687 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
If we would get out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya like we should the defense budget could take a double digit cut. We cannot afford to keep spending more on defense than the rest of teh world combined.
futurebeachbum
futurebeachbumBeach FanaticSnellsburg, GA1,100 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
If we would get out of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya like we should the defense budget could take a double digit cut. We cannot afford to keep spending more on defense than the rest of teh world combined.
Recognizing that NATO is an anachronism and pulling back from Europe as well would save a lot of money too.
a nation must have it's priorities, and judging by the tire marks on the middle class, those priorities are somewhat askew.
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