U.S. House approves $696 billion budget for Pentagon
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The bill passed as 117 Democrats and all but eight Republicans voted for approval of the measure, which includes $621.5 billion toward the Department of Defense base budget and the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons programs.
The bill also includes $75 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations funding, with $10 billion of the OCO funds being earmarked for base items, such as $6 billion for shipbuilding.
The Act faces a number obstacles if it is to be be passed due to the Budget Control Act of 2011 and sequestrion, whch sets a cap on base defense spending at $549 billion.
Without revision or repeal of the caps, the proposed base budget would be $72 billion higher than authorized by law. ■