Page 2 - ARUBA TODAY

A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 15 november 2017

House votes overwhelmingly to pass $700 billion defense bill

By RICHARD LARDNER Jim Mattis to develop a
Associated Press plan for increasing the
WASHINGTON (AP) — overall number of so-called
House Republicans and GBIs from 44 to 104.
Democrats joined forces The bill also directs the
Tuesday to decisively ap- Pentagon to procure more
prove a defense policy bill ship-based interceptors
that authorizes $700 billion and missiles for the Termi-
to restock what lawmak- nal High Altitude Area De-
ers have described as a fense, or THAAD, a U.S. mo-
depleted U.S. military and bile anti-missile system.
counter North Korea’s ad- North Korea’s U.N. am-
vancing nuclear weapons bassador, Ja Song Nam,
program. said in a letter Monday to
Lawmakers voted 356-70 Secretary-General Antonio
to pass the legislation, with Gutteres that the unprec-
127 Democrats backing edented deployment of
the measure. Once the three U.S. aircraft carrier
defense bill clears the Sen- groups “taking up a strike
ate, which is expected this posture” around the Ko-
week, the bill will be sent to rean peninsula has made it
President Donald Trump for impossible to predict when
his signature. nuclear war will break out.
The defense bill for the 2018 In this Aug. 22, 2017, file photo, U.S. Forces Korea Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks, right, speaks The carriers are participat-
fiscal year allots some $634 to the media during a news conference as U.S. Pacific Command Commander Adm. Harry Harris ing in joint naval exercises
billion for core Pentagon Jr., rear right, Commander of the U.S. 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command Brigadier Gen. with North Korea.
operations and nearly $66 Sean Gainey, left, Lt. Gen. “The large-scale nuclear
billion for wartime missions Associated Press war exercises and black-
in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria resistance from Democrats decided to raise revenue supported, fully trained, mails, which the U.S. staged
and elsewhere. The fund- who also are seeking to in- instead of cutting it, Smith (and) equipped with the for a whole year without a
ing boost pays for more crease the budgets for do- said, “we’re still looking at best equipment our coun- break in collaboration with
troops, jet fighters, ships mestic agencies. needs within the national try can provide,” he said. its followers to stifle our re-
and other weapons need- Rep. Adam Smith of Wash- security budget ... The defense legislation in- public, make one con-
ed to halt an erosion of the ington, the top Democrat that are wildly beyond the cludes $12.3 billion for the clude that the option we
military’s combat readi- on the House Armed Ser- amount of money that we Pentagon’s Missile Defense have taken was the right
ness, according to the bill’s vices Committee, voted have.” Agency and orders a more one and we should go
backers. for the bill while also criti- Republicans insist tax cuts rapid buildup of the na- along the way to the last,”
Trump’s 2018 request cizing Congress for refus- will essentially pay for tion’s missile defenses as Ja’s letter reads.
sought $603 billion for basic ing to come to grips with its themselves by spurring Pyongyang has refused The policy bill also grants
functions and $65 billion for out-of-control approach to economic growth. But the to back away from devel- U.S. troops a 2.4 percent
overseas missions. But se- budgeting. Smith said it’s in- Armed Services Commit- oping nuclear missiles ca- pay raise, which is slightly
curing the higher amounts consistent for Republicans tee chairman, Rep. Mac pable of striking the United higher than the wage in-
remains contingent upon to push for billions of dollars Thornberry, R-Texas, urged States. crease the Pentagon had
Congress reaching an more in defense spending his colleagues to focus on The bill includes money for proposed.
agreement to roll back a while also advocating tax the military’s immediate as many as 28 additional Lawmakers also approved
2011 law that set strict limits overhaul legislation that and substantial needs. Ground-Based Intercep- an increase of more than
on most federal spending. will deepen federal deficits “It is morally wrong to send tors, which are anti-missile 20,000 active-duty and
That’s a lot harder than it over the next decade. men and women out on missiles that would be reserve troops from last
sounds, however. Lifting Even if Congress had a “fit missions with our military, launched from under- year’s level. The Army gets
the budget caps will face of fiscal responsibility” and for which they are not fully ground silos in Alaska in the the largest boost and will
event the U.S. decided to receive 7,500 more active-
try to shoot down a North duty Army soldiers and
Korean missile heading to- 1,000 additional reserve
ward the United States. The troops.
interceptors are designed The defense bill provides
to directly hit the enemy money for 90 F-35 Joint
missile outside the Earth’s Strike Fighters, 20 more
atmosphere, obliterating it than Trump asked for, as
by the force of impact. well as 24 F/A-18 Super
Lawmakers also have re- Hornet jet fighters, 10 more
budgetaruba@setarnet.aw quired Defense Secretary than requested. q