Congressional Defense Budget Process
Two Tracks: Authorization & Appropriation
Authorization (Policy)
- HASC (House Armed Services Committee) + SASC (Senate Armed Services Committee)
- Produces the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act)
- Authorizes programs and sets policy but does not fund
- Subcommittees: Strategic Forces, Tactical Air/Land, Seapower, Readiness, Personnel, Emerging Threats (includes SOF)
Appropriation (Funding)
- HAC-D (House Appropriations, Defense) + SAC-D (Senate Appropriations, Defense)
- Produces Defense Appropriations Bill
- Actually provides budget authority (money)
- 12 subcommittees; Defense is the largest single bill
Annual Timeline
| Month | Activity |
|---|
| Feb | President’s Budget submitted |
| Mar-May | Committee hearings and markups |
| Jun-Jul | Floor votes |
| Sep-Dec | Conference and final passage |
| Oct 1 | New fiscal year begins |
Key Defense Budget Accounts
| Account | Description |
|---|
| RDT&E (Title IV) | Research, Development, Test & Evaluation |
| Procurement (Title III) | Equipment and systems buying |
| O&M (Title II) | Operations and Maintenance |
| MILPERS (Title I) | Military Personnel |
| MILCON (Title V) | Construction |
See Also
