On August 1, 2024, the US Senate Committee on Appropriations approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Defense Appropriations Act, allocating funds for the U.S. armed forces to address global threats from China and Russia, support service members and their families, and strengthen the defense industrial base. The measure, passed by a unanimous 28-0 vote, allocates $851.7 billion in discretionary funding, which is 3.3% higher than the FY 2024 enacted budget and 2.3% higher than the President’s budget request for FY 2025.
The US Army is allocated $25.8 billion for procurement and $14.5 billion in R&D, including $850 million for 45 Abrams tanks, which is 15 tanks and $77 million more than the President’s budget request.
The bill allocates $180.7 billion for the pay and benefits of service members and their families, which is $4.4 billion above the FY 2024 enacted level. This includes a 4.5% pay raise for service members and a 5.5% pay raise for the most junior enlisted personnel. Additionally, $1 billion is designated for the modernization of Marine Corps barracks, which is $349 million more than the President’s budget request. The bill also includes $135 million more than the President’s budget request for the Army’s operational deployment pay and $251 million for the basic needs allowance to support military families with a household income below 200 percent of Federal poverty guidelines.
For military readiness, the bill provides $300.6 billion for operations, weapons, training, and readiness activities. This includes $3.4 billion more than the President’s budget request to make nearly 500 additional Air Force aircraft available, including $600 million for six additional F-15EX Eagle II multirole strike fighters. It also provides funding for aircraft spare parts to prevent the grounding of an estimated 221 airplanes. Additionally, $14.5 billion is allocated for Navy ship repairs, $800 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, and $1.1 billion in unnecessary civilian personnel costs are eliminated.