WASHINGTON — President Biden will ask Congress for $715 billion in defense funding for the fiscal year 2023, a 4.1% increase from the current year, to counter potential threats from China and bolster the U.S. military’s presence in the Indo-Pacific region..
The request, which is outlined in the administration’s budget proposal released Monday, includes $69 billion for research and development, $11.3 billion for space-based systems and $7.3 billion for cyber and electronic warfare capabilities. Biden’s budget also proposes increasing the size of the Navy by 8,000 sailors and the Marine Corps by 1,000 Marines..
The Pentagon is seeking to modernize its nuclear arsenal, develop new weapons systems and bolster its cyber defenses in response to the growing threat from China. The budget request includes $24.7 billion for nuclear weapons programs, $10.1 billion for missile defense and $8.8 billion for cyber defense..
The Biden administration is also seeking to increase funding for the Indo-Pacific region, where it is seeking to counter China’s growing military presence. The budget request includes $6.1 billion for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, a new program to strengthen U.S. military capabilities in the region..
The budget request is likely to face scrutiny from Congress, where some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the size of the defense budget and the Biden administration’s plans to draw down U.S. forces in Afghanistan..
The House Armed Services Committee has already approved a defense spending bill that would provide $740 billion for the fiscal year 2023, which is $25 billion more than the Biden administration’s request. The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to take up its version of the defense spending bill later this month..
The Biden administration’s budget request is a reflection of the administration’s priorities for the U.S. military. The budget seeks to modernize the U.S. military, strengthen its cyber defenses and counter potential threats from China. The budget request is likely to face scrutiny from Congress, where some lawmakers have expressed concerns about the size of the defense budget and the Biden administration’s plans to draw down U.S. forces in Afghanistan..
