Dept. of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016

S.1558
Introduced: 
June 11, 2015
114
First
June 11, 2015
Vetoed by the President

Had it passed, this bill would have provided FY 2016 funding for all Defense Dept. programs and activities. Annual funding eventually passed in an omnibus appropriations bill, *H.R. 2029 of 4/24/15, on 12/18/15. See that bill at congressionalmonitor.org for details in the relevant provisions, which relate to joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs and efforts to counter the growth of ISIS.

The Congressional Monitor provides summaries reflecting only those relevant provisions that are altered between early drafts and the bills that eventually pass into law for appropriations bills that do not pass. Because this draft was introduced on 6/11 by the chair of the Senate Appropriations Comm. and did not advance further, the summary below reflects the committee’s priorities.

Israeli Cooperative Programs

The Senate Appropriations Comm. would have designated slightly less to the joint U.S.-Israeli missile defense programs, $473.995 m., than the $487.595 m. that was eventually appropriated. The only specific program that enjoyed a funding increase was the Iron Dome missile defense system, to which the final bill appropriated $55 m. rather than the $41.4 m. originally called for.

Training and Equipping Syrian Rebels

In order to counter the growth of ISIS, $531.45 m. would have been made available for the training and equipment of vetted Syrian opposition groups. In particular, groups associated with Hezbollah, designated terrorist groups, and the governments of Syria and Iran would be excluded. Other provisions related to the fight against ISIS were largely left intact in the final Defense Dept. appropriations.

See also: the House’s Defense Dept. appropriations bill, H.R. 2685 of 6/5/15.

Last major action: 6/11/15 placed on Senate calendar under general orders.

More info

For more information, Click Here to visit this measure’s page at congress.gov.