According to the Associated Press, the administration is preparing to request from Congress $708B for the fiscal year 2011 defense budget, as well as an additional $33B for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The defense budget has never crossed the $700B threshold. While budget acquisition priorities will be fully illustrated when the request is publicly unveiled later this month, increased procurement of unmanned aircraft such as Reaper and Predator drones are said to be a top priority. Most defense budget proposals receive widespread bipartisan support on the Hill, but Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has hinted in recent months that the House will not simply rubber stamp President Obama’s budget request. Specifically, she has stated that he will have to “make his case” to justify increased spending for the unpopular war in Afghanistan.
Read more at the Washington Post.
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