Defense appropriations chairwoman expects to surpass Trump budget

The chairwoman of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee said Thursday she expects to give the Pentagon more money than requested by the Trump administration.

Asked by The Hill after a hearing with Defense Secretary James Mattis whether she expects to appropriate more than the administration’s request, Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) said, “Yes.”

Further asked how much more, she said she didn’t know yet.

{mosads}“We’re still trying to put things together with the Budget Committee,” she said. “It’s just a very difficult year. I will keep fighting for the highest number I can.”

Thursday’s hearing before the House Appropriations defense subcommittee capped a week of hearings in which Mattis defended a budget request that has pleased few on Capitol Hill.

Defense hawks are upset the base defense budget request was for $603 billion, well below the $640 billion they hoped for.

Democrats and some Republicans have also criticized the overall budget for slashing domestic spending to pay for the bump in defense spending, with concern particularly focused on cuts to the State Department and foreign aid.

Granger has previously said she does not see how Congress would find the $640 billion wanted by defense hawks “unless something drops from heaven.”

But at the top of Thursday’s hearing, Granger also made clear she believes the administration’s request is insufficient.

“Since becoming chair of the defense subcommittee, I have said the defense bill would be based on the needs of the military and the best military advice from our leaders in uniform,” she said. “Unfortunately, after extensive conversations with our military leaders, I am concerned that the FY18 defense budget request is not enough to address the shortfalls and damage caused by years of underfunding.”

Other committee members, too, said Thursday they anticipate appropriating more than requested.

“I think at the end of the day, this committee will give you at least what you asked and probably more,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said during the hearing.

Mattis also continued to hear from both parties about the cuts to the State Department. He reiterated that he has not read State’s budget, but added that he and Tillerson have been in communication about coordinating the Pentagon and State’s development programs to ease any effects of the cuts.

“As I read about those cuts, I called Secretary of State [Rex] Tillerson,” Mattis said. “We agreed to put two of our top-level subordinates together. We’re going to look at the common priorities for where we need to engage in the world. This committee also gives me development funds, and we have married the two. We’ll set the priorities together so that we get the best possible use of the dollars allocated to each of the departments working in concert.”