U.S. Senate panel boosts Biden's defense budget plan by $25 billion
By Mike Stone
WASHINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee voted to increase the Pentagon's proposed budget by $25 billion to $740.3 billion to cover procurement of new jets and a destroyer as well as technological upgrades to weapons systems, the panel said on Thursday.
President Joe Biden in May proposed a $715 billion defense budget, which includes a huge research and development budget, but the Senate panel added even more funds to procure weapons platforms like F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin and Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, the annual legislation that sets defense policy, still needs to make its way through the legislative process but the Senate panel on a 23-3 vote authorized an additional $1.7 billion towards the purchase of an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer for the Navy as well as extra funds to buy six additional F-35 jets, five for the Navy and one for the Air Force.
It also "strengthens the language of the CHIPS Act" to establish the national network for microelectronics research and development to grow domestic microelectronics manufacturing capabilities.
The Senate in June approved legislation to spend $52 billion to significantly boost U.S. semiconductor chip production and research but is awaiting House action.
The bill approved by the Senate panel prohibits the retirement of A-10 aircraft by the Air Force in fiscal 2022 and requires a government analysis "comparing the research and development efforts of the United States and China on certain critical, militarily-relevant technologies."
The bill also includes a 2.7% pay raise for both military servicemembers and Defense Department civilian workforce, increases parental leave to 12 weeks for all servicemembers for the birth or adoption of a child and would require the registration of women for Selective Service, a federal database that could be used to reinstate a military draft.
The draft was discontinued in 1973 amid the tumult of the Vietnam War era. Only American men at age 18 are required to register for a potential military callup.
The bill also authorizes an increase of $268.4 million across the Defense Department "to support cybersecurity efforts." (Reporting by Mike Stone in Washington; additional reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Richard Pullin)
