House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan laid out a budget vision Tuesday that goes beyond President Obama’s request by ramping up defense spending beyond the caps in 2016 and restoring them by 2017.
Ryan does this by taking from the nondefense side of the ledger and still reducing overall federal spending beyond what is contemplated under the total sequester caps.
“This budget rejects the president’s cuts to national security.… It also keeps faith with the veterans who have served and protected the nation,” declares the Ryan budget, which increases defense spending above what President Obama has called for by $273 billion over the 10-year budget window.
“The first job of the federal government is securing the safety and liberty of its citizens from threats at home and abroad,” Ryan’s budget proclaims, listing national defense at the top of its budget breakdown.
“This budget provides for the best equipment, training, and compensation for their continued success.”
Unsurprisingly, the Wisconsin Republican’s budget, like Obama’s, sticks to the defense spending caps agreed to under last year’s Bipartisan Budget Act of $521 billion for discretionary spending for fiscal 2015.
And it is important to note that for fiscal 2015, Obama technically is calling for more for defense, because his budget asks for an additional $28 billion for defense spending as part of a so-called opportunity fund that Congress would have to approve through a series of other policy changes, including tax increases that are unlikely to be adopted.
Although neither Obama nor Ryan sticks to the defense sequester caps in 2016 and beyond, starting in fiscal 2016 Ryan’s budget starts increasing defense spending beyond what Obama calls for, every year through 2024.
For example, in fiscal 2017 Ryan’s budget asks for $590 billion for defense discretionary spending, compared with the $569 billion total for defense discretionary spending that the president requests. The trend line continues, with Ryan requesting $696 billion for defense discretionary spending in 2024, compared with the $646 billion that Obama has reqeusted, after adjustments based on policy changes the White House is assuming in its budget.
Ryan does all this while still coming in under the total discretionary budget caps set by the sequester, ultimately shaving $308 billion from the overall federal budget caps. He does so by reducing nondefense discretionary spending by more than he is increasing defense spending. By 2024 Ryan is adding $483 billion to defense spending beyond what the sequester would allow and cutting $791 billion from nondefense discretionary spending sequester caps in order to achieve overall savings to the federal government.
Defense-budget analysts were quick to put the Ryan budget in context—it’s a message piece that, like the president’s budget, has next to no chance of becoming law.
“This is just another marker in the debate,” said Todd Harrison, a senior fellow in defense-budget studies at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
Harrison said it is important to understand that Ryan’s budget resolution might not pass the House, and has no chance of being reconciled with the Senate—which has said it is not putting out a budget proposal—and does not have the teeth of an appropriations bill.
“So all it is is a marker to give an indication of where the House thinks various spending levels ought to be. It does not mean that we will end up there in any way, shape, or form, even if they can get it to pass the House, which is not a given,” Harrison added. “It doesn’t mean too much, it’s just an indication of the party’s position.”