US Congress Approves 355.4-billion-dollar Defense Budget

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, October 17, 2002

US Congress Approves 355.4-billion-dollar Defense Budget

The US Senate voted 93-1 Wednesday to give final approval to the 355.4 billion dollars military spending bill for fiscal 2003 that started Oct. 1.

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The US Senate voted 93-1 Wednesday to give final approval to the 355.4 billion dollars military spending bill for fiscal 2003 that started Oct. 1.

The Congress sent the bill representing the largest increase inmilitary spending in decades to President George W. Bush for signature as the country is preparing a possible war with Iraq.

The House of Representatives approved the defense bill by a vote of 409-14 last week. It represented a 34.4 billion dollars increase over last year.

"This defense budget will provide our troops with the best pay,the best equipment and the best possible training," Bush said in aprepared statement. "It also sends an important signal that we arecommitted to defending freedom and defeating terror."

The massive defense spending package has granted Bush most of the Pentagon buildup he requested following last year's terrorist attacks.

Bush asked for 367 billion dollars, but his proposal for a 10 billion dollars fund he could use without congressional approval for combating terrorists overseas met bipartisan opposition in Congress.

Under the bill, the US military will boost spending in almost every field, from weapons procurement and research to the costs oftraining troops.

The bill grants money for a 4.1 percent pay raise for military personnel, for two more AEGIS destroyers and a new attack submarine, and nearly all of the 7.4 billion dollars Bush requested to keep developing a national missile defense system.

The defense bill is only the second of the 13 annual spending bills that Congress has passed. The other bill was also military-related, providing 10.5 billion dollars for military construction projects.

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