Senate backs more Defense R&D than Bush sought

[The Straight Story]

Senate backs more Defense R&D than Bush sought

By Greta Wodele, National Journal's Technology Daily
The Senate has rejected the budget President Bush requested for the Pentagon to purchase more equipment in fiscal 2006, but lawmakers approved more funding for research and development programs than Bush proposed.

The chamber's version of the appropriations bill for the Defense Department (H.R. 2863) includes $75.8 billion to buy aircraft, ships, information technology systems and other military equipment -- $800 million less than Bush requested and $1.9 billion less than last year. The bill also includes $8.6 billion in emergency procurement spending for efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Senate passed the measure earlier this month but still must reconcile differences with the House version passed in June.

Lawmakers voted to increase spending for research, development, testing and evaluation over both last year's budget and Bush's request. The Pentagon would receive $70.4 billion for the initiatives. Bush proposed $69.4 billion, and the department received $70 billion last year.

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