Trump signs FY18 defense authorization bill into law

[nitpicker]

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2017/12/12/trump-signs-fy18-defense-authorization-bill-into-law/

Trump signs FY18 defense authorization bill into law

By: Leo Shane III ?  16 hours ago

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed the annual defense policy bill into law Tuesday, officially establishing the 2018 military pay raise at 2.4 percent and setting the stage for increased Pentagon spending in coming months.
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The nearly $700 billion authorization bill calls for a military personnel end-strength increase of more than 20,000 service members and significant purchases of new aircraft, ground combat vehicles and ships. It also includes about $66 billion for overseas operations and upgrades to the country’s missile defense systems. Trump called it “providing service members with the tools they need to fight and win.”

While the authorization bill sets annual critical benefits authorities for the force and outlines military spending priorities, defense officials won’t be able to move ahead on the new purchases and program starts until lawmakers sort out a fiscal 2018 appropriations measure. Those conversations are currently underway on Capitol Hill, with a deadline of Dec. 22 for a new budget measure. If a deal isn’t reached by then, either for a short-term fix or a full-year appropriations bill, funding authorities would lapse, causing a partial government shutdown.
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Negotiators are discussing a fiscal 2018 funding level for military operations of around $600 billion, below what the authorization bill has outlined. Defense lawmakers have sharply criticized those plans, saying the higher levels prescribed in their bill are what is needed to maintain force readiness.
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