House Appropriations Committee approves $3 billion cut for military construction
By BD+C Staff
The Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representative voted to cut about $3 billion from the military construction budget for FY 2015 when compared to FY 2014 funding levels.
The Army would see the sharpest cuts on a percentage basis, with a $578 million, or 52% reduction in FY 2015. However, a provision in the bill provides the Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve Accounts an additional $245 million for use and disbursement at the discretion of the Secretary of the Army.
The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) program, encompassed in the Navy and Marine account, would see a $631 million, or 39%, cut in FY 2015.
The Veteran’s Administration, also impacted by this budget proposal, would be funded at the same level as in FY 2014 ($1.057 billion). The funds for FY 2015 would be evenly split between the two primary VA construction accounts.
The VA’s Major Construction Account—for projects over $10 million—would increase from $342 million in FY 2014 to $561 million in FY 2015. The Minor Construction Account—for projects below $10 million—would decrease from $714 million to $495 million.
The House bill figures are identical to the president’s FY 2015 budget request.
(http://news.agc.org/2014/04/25/house-panel-approves-fy-2015-milconva-funding/)