Bill > HR413

This bill, titled the Defense and Deficit Reduction Act, aims to reduce the budget for military functions administered by the Department of Defense (DOD) and use the resulting savings for deficit reduction. Specifically, it prohibits the total funds appropriated for DOD's military functions from exceeding the aggregate amount from fiscal year 2008 for fiscal year 2011, and then freezes the budget at the previous year's level for fiscal years 2012 through 2016. Importantly, this calculation excludes funds for military personnel pay and benefits, the Defense Health Program, and certain drug interdiction activities, meaning these areas are not subject to the proposed reduction. The bill's findings section highlights that defense spending constitutes a significant portion of the national budget and that reductions could lead to substantial savings to address the national deficit.