On September 7, the Senate approved, 98-0, the FY2007 Department of Defense spending bill (H.R. 5631). The House approved the bill on June 20 (see The Source, 6/23/06. According to a Senate Appropriations Committee press release, the bill would allocate $469.7 billion in discretionary spending, including $65.5 billion in supplemental funding to support ongoing military operations to combat terrorism as well as the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. The funding level is $14.7 billion above FY2006 (excluding supplemental appropriations), and $9.1 billion less than the administration’s request. The bill now moves to a House-Senate conference.
As requested by the administration, overseas humanitarian, disaster and civic aid would receive $63.204 million in FY2007, $2.272 million more than FY2006.
The bill also would provide level funding of $1 million to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation.
The measure would provide $21.4 billion for Department of Defense health programs, including $245 million for cancer research. Included within the $245 million is $150 million for the breast cancer research program, $80 million for the prostate cancer research program, and $15 million for the ovarian cancer research program. The bill would allocate $978.2 million to combat drugs, including $25 million for National Guard state counter-drug related activities. This funding level is $51.322 million above the administration’s request.
