WASHINGTON, June 4The House Appropriations Committee has rejected the White House's $18 billion request for defense spending in fiscal year 2025 and suggested redirecting it to other purposes, including countering China, the committee said in a statement.
The House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday presented its $833 billion defense budget proposal, an $8.57 billion or 1 percent increase over what was appropriated in the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30.
«The bill rejects $18 billion in unjustified and unnecessary spending included in the President's budget request and redirects those resources to programs and activities to counter the People's Republic of China and other potential close adversaries, stimulate innovation, expand the role of the Department of Defense in combating the smuggling of fentanyl and other illegal drugs, and support military personnel and their families,» the statement said.
The initiative proposes, in particular, to allocate $200 million for military aid to Taiwan, suspend the decommissioning of three ships, U-2 reconnaissance aircraft and some types of F-15 fighters, and increase investment in fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft.
The House also supports the creation of an «office of a special inspector general for assistance to Ukraine» with $1 million allocated for this purpose.