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VOL. 35 | NO. 49 | Friday, December 9, 2011
National Politics
A look at the $662 billion defense bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — A look at the $662 billion defense bill that would authorize funds for military personnel, weapons systems, national security programs in the Energy Department and the two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan:
—$530 billion for the base Defense Department budget.
—$116 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
—$17 billion for defense programs in the Energy Department.
—A 1.6 percent across-the-board pay raise for all members of the uniformed services.
—Expands the Joint Chiefs of Staff to make the head of the National Guard Bureau a member. The chairman and service chiefs had opposed this change.
—Slight increase in enrollment fees for TRICARE, the military's health care system.
—Allows a military chaplain to decline to perform a marriage as a matter of conscience or moral principle. The military allows gays to serve openly.
—Freezes $700 million for Pakistan until the defense secretary provides Congress a report on how Islamabad is countering the threat of improvised explosive devices.
—Requires Lockheed Martin to assume full responsibility for cost overruns on the next batch and future purchases of the troubled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. The program for the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy has been plagued by delays and extra expenses, with estimates that it could become the most expensive in Pentagon history — $ 1 trillion for 2,442 planes.