In vote of 278-149 , the U.S. House passed H.R. 2685, making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016 on Thursday. The measure includes funding and protections for the A-10 and the EC-130H.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA-23) said the bill “is not controversial. It funds our military operations. It gives our troops a much-deserved raise. It supports investments in military technologies that will keep our armed forces strong and America safe. It’s such a bipartisan bill that it was reported out of committee by a voice vote. And with its passage, the House is officially halfway through the appropriations process.”
McCarthy continued, “Unfortunately, despite the bipartisan nature of this bill in the House, Democrats in the Senate—reportedly in coordination with the White House—have vowed to block the appropriations process unless we increase domestic spending and break the law set out by the Ryan-Murray budget agreement. Senate Minority Leader Reid even went so far as to say that funding our military operations and increasing pay for our troops is a ‘waste of time.’”
McCarthy said he expects to see “the kind of political game the American people are sick of.”
Rep. Martha McSally’s amendments to fully fund the A-10 and EC-130H, as well as prevent transfers to backup status are included in the bill.
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