House passes bill boosting defense funds

WASHINGTON - Money for the Pentagon and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is proving largely immune from the budget-cutting that's slamming other government agencies in the rush to bring down the deficit.

On a 336-87 vote Friday, the Republican-controlled House backed a $649 billion defense-spending bill that boosts the Defense Department budget by $17 billion. The strong bipartisan embrace of the measure came as White House and congressional negotiators face an Aug. 2 deadline on agreeing to trillions of dollars in federal spending cuts and raising the borrowing limit so the United States does not default on debt payments.

While House Republican leaders agreed to slash billions from the proposed budgets for other agencies, hitting food aid for low-income women, health research, and much more, the military budget is the only one that would see a double-digit increase in its account beginning Oct. 1

Concerns about undermining national security, cutting military dollars at a time of war, and losing defense jobs back home trumped fiscal discipline in the House. Only 12 Republicans and 75 Democrats opposed the overall bill. All Philadelphia-area representatives supported it.

The bill would provide $530 billion to the Pentagon and $119 billion to cover the costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. It would provide a 1.6 percent increase in pay and buy warships, aircraft, and weapons, including a C-17 cargo plane that the Pentagon did not request but is good news for the Boeing production line in Long Beach, Calif.

During three days of debate, the House easily turned back several efforts to cut military spending, including amendments by Rep. Barney Frank (D., Mass.) and tea party-backed freshman Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R., S.C.).

"Many of us have gone around back home and told people how serious we are," Mulvaney said. "But how can we look them in the eye and tell them that we are serious about cutting spending and then come in and plus up the base defense budget?"

The overall bill is $9 billion less than President Obama sought. The White House has threatened a veto, citing limits in the bill on the president's authority to transfer detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and money for defense programs it didn't want. The overall bill also must be reconciled with a still-to-be-completed Senate version.

The House also acted to slow the repeal of the policy allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces. Lawmakers voted, 236-184, to block money to train the Chaplain Corps on practices it should use once "don't ask, don't tell" ends.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R., Kan.), the amendment's sponsor, said it aimed to bar chaplains from performing same-sex marriages on military bases without regard to a state's law.

The practical effect of his effort was unclear. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is expected to certify the end of the 17-year ban this summer.

The House also rejected, 251-169, an amendment by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D., Ohio) that would bar funds for the U.S. operation against Libya.