Bush to request $401.7B for military

President Bush will ask Congress for $401.7 billion in fiscal 2005 to fund the military, a 7 percent increase versus fiscal 2004 funding levels.

The fiscal 2005 budget invests in improved homeland defense, intelligence, joint force development and training and combat readiness capabilities. The budget allows the Defense Department to better manage civilian and military employees for the first time, using the new National Security Personnel System, said a Jan. 23 Defense Department statement.

DOD Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the fiscal 2005 budget balances the war on terrorism with updating the military's equipment. "This budget builds upon past work to provide for a ready force made up of the talents and skills needed in our new national security environment," said Rumsfeld in the statement. "The men and women in uniform are demonstrating the joint and combined war-fighting capabilities our nation will need to prevail in the global war on terrorism."

DOD released the fiscal 2005 budget one week earlier than it did with previous budgets. The department will release the budget at a Feb. 2 media briefing, the DOD statement said.

Bush had asked for $380 million for the Defense Department in its 2004 fiscal budget.