Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY 2015 Defense Bill; Hearings Held on Overseas Contingency Operations Request

Appropriations

Last Thursday, July 17, the Senate Appropriations Committee marked-up and approved by voice vote its $549.3 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Defense Appropriations bill, which included provisions of the President’s Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Request, including a $1 billion “European Reassurance Initiative” fund.

Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) Request

Also last week, the House Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and Budget all held hearings on the President’s OCO (or war funding) request. During the hearings, both parties criticized the Administration for delaying its request (the House did not receive it until after it passed its defense appropriations bill) and not including enough detail about each proposed program – particularly including the $5 billion Counterterrorism Fund, $1 billion for a “European Reassurance Initiative,” and $500 million program to train and equip vetted Syrian opposition groups.