U.S. House Backs $696 Billion Bill Boosting Fighter Jets, Troops
- Measure would ban base closings and increase Army by 17,000
- Pentagon would be allowed to buy more ships than Trump sought
An F-35A fighter jet, manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp., performs aerial maneuvers in Paris on June 20, 2017.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
President Donald Trump’s proposal to build a bigger U.S. military was just the starting point for the U.S. House, which voted to authorize more ships, planes and personnel than he requested.
“There is no substitute for military power,” Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry said as the House debated the $696 billion defense policy bill for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. “If we don’t fund these things now they won’t be there when we need them.”