Quick Hit – It’s a Holiday Miracle

The House and Senate passed two different spending bills totaling $1.4 trillion on the eve of the currently expiring Continuing Resolution. The bills fund the government through September 2020, avoiding a government shutdown. The spending bills are the product of weeks of bipartisan talks. Both bills are headed to the President’s desk where they’re expected to be signed imminently.

Domestic Spending Package

Agencies and programs funded by 8 appropriations bills will receive roughly $540 billion in discretionary funds for FY 2020. The version approved by the House and Senate contained the following categories:

• • Agriculture-FDA
  • Energy-Water
  • Interior-Environment
  • Labor-HHS-Education
  • Legislative Branch
  • Military Construction-VA
  • State & Foreign Operations
  • Transportation-HU

National Security Package

Agencies and programs funded by 4 appropriations bills will receive roughly $860 billion in FY 2020. The version approved by the House and Senate contained the following categories:

• • Commerce-Justice-Science
  • Defense
  • Financial Services-General Government
  • Homeland Security

The Defense measure would provide $9.3 billion for 98 F-35 aircraft, which would be 20 more aircraft than requested. Funding for the Navy would provide roughly $24 billion for 14 ships.

Procurement highlights:

• • $5.37 billion for 2 Virginia class submarines ($2.97 billion in advance procurement)
  • $5.07 billion for 3 DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
  • $2.1 billion for 12 KC-46 tanker aircraft.
  • $1.8 billion for 20 aircraft that are variations of the C-130J transport plane
  • $1.7 billion for 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft
  • $1.7 billion for 9 P-8A Poseidon aircraft
  • $1.4 billion for 74 UH-60 Blackhawk
  • $1.28 billion for 1 Guided Missile Frigate (FFG).
  • $1.2 billion for 14 V-22 aircraft
  • $1.05 billion for 8 F-15EX combat aircraft

NDAA

The compromised NDAA has successfully passed the House and Senate with over $738 billion towards defense policy in FY 2020, including the establishment of the much-anticipated U.S. Space Force. The bill is currently awaiting President Trumps Signature.

As outlined in our last quick hit, the bill includes the following key elements:

• • 1% pay raise for troops, the largest in history
  • 12 weeks of parental leave for all federal workers
  • Phased 3-year elimination of the “widow’s tax”
  • Funding for 90 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters
  • 8 new Boeing F-15EX fighters
  • 3 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers
  • 1 new frigate
  • 1 LPD Flight III
  • 1 LHA replacement (LHA-9)
  • 2 medium sized LUSVs (unmanned surface vessels), with plans to buy 8 more over the next 5 years.

What it Means

Funds approved by the FY20 appropriations should flow to agencies by mid-Q1 of 2020.

What’s Gene Up To?

Have you read Gene’s Amazon best seller?  “Pitching the Big Top: How to Master the 3-Ring Circus of Federal Sales”.  Email Gene if you’d like your copy inscribed, gene@capitol-integration.venturecreative.club.