Defense spending

Here is all the firepower the Pentagon is asking for in its $718 billion budget

When lawmakers return to Capitol Hill next week, they will begin considering the Pentagon’s colossal budget request. The Defense Department is asking Congress for $718 billion in its fiscal 2020 budget, an increase of $33 billion or about 5% over what Congress enacted for fiscal 2019.

The budget is composed of a $544.5 billion base budget, $9.2 billion for emergency border funding and $164 billion for overseas contingency operations funding, aka the war budget.

The Navy and Marine Corps request $205.6 billion, up $9.9 billion from fiscal 2019; the Air Force calls for $204.8 billion, up $11.8 billion from the last request, and the Army asks for $191.4 billion, up $12.5 billion from fiscal 2019.

Congress has until Oct. 1 to approve the budget or negotiate a new funding deal with the White House.