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Senate Appropriations Adds $262 Million to MDA Budget

June 12, 2015
(From L) Sentors Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Pat Roberts (R-KS) listen as Larry Pope, president and chief executive officer of Smithfield Foods Inc, testifies to the Senate Agriculture Committee during a hearing examining foreign purchases of American food companies on Capitol Hill in Washington July 10, 2013. Larry Pope on Wednesday faced tough questioning from U.S. lawmakers concerned the proposed sale of Virginia ham maker to China's largest pork producer could hurt U.S. food safety and lead to higher prices for American consumers. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS FOOD ENVIRONMENT) - RTX11J9J

The Senate Committee on Appropriations, chaired by Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS), passed its final mark of the FY2016 Defense Appropriations Bill yesterday, which appropriates funding the Department of Defense’s annual operating budget.

From the committee’s summary:

Missile Defense – The bill provides $8.2 billion for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), an increase of $262 million above the President’s request. This would fully fund MDA’s top priorities to modernize the Ground Based Interceptor, develop a Long Range Discrimination Radar that will be fielded in Alaska and field the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) Phase III, which includes fielding of Aegis Ashore sites in Romania and Poland. The bill recommends an additional $329.8 million for Israeli missile defense programs, including $150 million to begin production of the David’s Sling Weapon System, in support of the government of Israel.

Missiles – The bill reflects investments in critical missile procurement programs underfunded by the Services, including recommending an additional $200 million in procurement funds for Patriot Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) missiles.

The bill will now be moved to the full Senate for further amendments and passage. It will then be reconciled with the House version of the FY 2016 Defense Appropriations Bill in conference committee, voted on again by both the House and Senate before moving to the President’s desk for final enactment.

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