Senate Introduces $696B FY 2021 Defense Bill Under $1.4T Spending Package

The Senate on Tuesday proposed a $1.4T spending package that includes $696B in defense appropriations for fiscal year 2021, Defense News reports.

The upper chamber's defense bill would fully fund the U.S. Air Force’s B-21 bomber program and procure a total of 96 F-35 fighter jets, a figure that is 17 more than the Department of Defense’s request and five more than the House measure would procure.

The proposed legislation would appropriate $21.35B in FY 2021 funds for nine ships, including one Virginia-class submarine, two destroyers and a Constellation-class frigate. The Senate version also proposed to buy 24 F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, four E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes and nine P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

The bill would also allocate $449M in funds for Pentagon’s 5G projects.

The Senate must reconcile its 12-bill package with the House, which passed in July a $694.6B defense spending bill for FY 2021 as part of a $1.3T package, and reach a deal before a continuing resolution expires on Dec. 11 to avoid a government shutdown.

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