US House Approves $368.7 billion Defense Spending Bill

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, July 09, 2003

US House Approves $368.7 billion Defense Spending Bill

The US House of Representatives Tuesday approved a 368.7-billion-US dollar defense spending bill for fiscal year 2004, which represents a 1.3 percent increase over the current year ending Sept. 30.

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The US House of Representatives Tuesday approved a 368.7-billion-US dollar defense spending bill for fiscal year 2004, which represents a 1.3 percent increase over the current year ending Sept. 30.

The bill, approved by 399-19, does not include the extra 62.4 billion dollars that Congress approved for the Pentagon in April over the war with Iraq and counter terrorism efforts around the world.

Lawmakers said the bill would support the Pentagon's goal of developing a more mobile, high-tech fighting force while preserving older weapons systems that proved their value in the Iraq war.

The bill "reflects very much the direction of the commander in chief as well as the Department of Defense regarding the war on terrorism that we are pursuing in the Middle East at this point but also recognizing its great threat around the world," said the House Appropriations defense subcommittee chairman, Jerry Lewis, aRepublican from California.

The bill gave what President George W. Bush requested to develop a missile defense system, strengthen special operations forces, boost ship building and create a faster, more mobile ground fighting force.

Spending on the missile defense would be 8.9 billion dollars, 1.3 billion dollars more than the current year.

Special operations forces, who play key roles in the fight against terrorists, would get 46 billion dollars, 35 percent more than this fiscal year.

The bill included 11.5 billion dollars for building ships, a 2.4 billion-dollar increase, including one Virginia-class submarine,the Navy's most advanced attack submarine.

The bill also included 458 million dollars not sought by the Bush administration for 144 upgraded Bradley fighting vehicles, 43Abrams tanks and other equipment to modernize the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment.

A similar bill was approved with bipartisan support Tuesday by the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee. Both bills are about 3 billion dollars below the total amount Bush requested.

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