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jpak

(41,758 posts) Wed Aug 1, 2018, 05:40 PM Aug 2018

Congress sends $708 billion defense budget to Trump

Source: Bangor Daily News

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday passed a $708 billion defense budget, approving a larger military including three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers for which Bath Iron Works will compete.

The fiscal year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, named for ailing Sen. John S. McCain, passed in the House of Representatives last week. The bill now requires the signature of President Donald Trump to become law.

Both U.S. Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Angus King, I-Maine, voted in favor of the budget.

The budget deal includes more than a 15 percent increase over 2017. It also includes the largest pay increase for service members in nearly a decade, according to a release from Collins, and legislation by Collins to strengthen NATO cyber defense.

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Read more: https://bangordailynews.com/2018/08/01/national-politics/congress-sends-708-billion-defense-budget-to-trump/

6 replies

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Congress sends $708 billion defense budget to Trump (Original Post) jpak Aug 2018 OP

How about less? Owl Aug 2018 #1

Only about 500,000,000,000 on the high side... Gore1FL Aug 2018 #2

Yea, we need to continue or start more of the needless wars. Support the Arms Dealers walkingman Aug 2018 #3

Does this bill still include clauses to stop sales to Turkey? tammywammy Aug 2018 #4

Pentagon doesn't know how much anything costs. alwaysinasnit Aug 2018 #5

Infuckingsane GeorgeGist Aug 2018 #6

Owl

(3,642 posts)

1. How about less?

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Wed Aug 1, 2018, 05:43 PM

Aug 2018

Gore1FL

(21,132 posts)

2. Only about 500,000,000,000 on the high side...

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Wed Aug 1, 2018, 05:49 PM

Aug 2018

Universal healthcare sounds like a better and cheaper deal.

walkingman

(7,630 posts)

3. Yea, we need to continue or start more of the needless wars. Support the Arms Dealers

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Wed Aug 1, 2018, 05:58 PM

Aug 2018

tammywammy

(26,582 posts)

4. Does this bill still include clauses to stop sales to Turkey?

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Wed Aug 1, 2018, 08:27 PM

Aug 2018

Edited to add: found my answer in the Politico article.

t would also bar the delivery of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Turkey until a report is issued on Turkey’s behavior, including an assessment of its participation in the F-35 program as well as the risks that would be posed by the country's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/08/01/senate-defense-bill-trump-717791

Removing Turkey as a partner disrupts the supply chain and I assume includes high cost penalties for the Pentagon. Turkey has already been delivered jets, I assume this just means they can't leave the US with them (they're currently at a US base for pilot training).

alwaysinasnit

(5,066 posts)

5. Pentagon doesn't know how much anything costs.

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Wed Aug 1, 2018, 08:56 PM

Aug 2018

Federal agencies are required to submit financial statements, but the DOD has been a total financial mess. See
https://www.gao.gov/key_issues/federal_financial_accountability/issue_summary

The Pentagon announced its first ever audit
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/12/08/569394885/pentagon-announces-first-ever-audit-of-the-department-of-defense

https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/weapons/a21071503/pentagon-budget-audit-f-35-nuclear-weapons/

GeorgeGist

(25,321 posts)

6. Infuckingsane

Reply to jpak (Original post)

Thu Aug 2, 2018, 02:44 AM

Aug 2018

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