Senate Hearing on the 2016 Department of Defense Budget
January 1, 2015
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The Frame
This hearing sets the stage for how the federal government will allocate defense funding for 2016, specifically addressing the impact of and the use of war-funding accounts on military operations.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Department of Defense
The agency is subject to the 2016 budget appropriations and fiscal constraints discussed in the hearing.
Servicemembers
Servicemembers are impacted by military operational tempo, sexual assault reporting policies, and potential changes to educational benefits.
Last recorded activity January 1, 2015.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
Key Facts
- The hearing was the final scheduled session for the fiscal year 2016 defense budget request.
- General Martin Dempsey is scheduled to end his term as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in October 2015.
- Senator Durbin criticized the practice of shifting base budget funds to the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account to bypass sequestration.
- The Department of Defense reported an estimated 20,000 instances of sexual assault against servicemembers in the previous year.
- Over 50% of individuals who report sexual assault in the military experience retaliation.
- Military operations are currently active in Afghanistan, Africa, the Pacific, Eastern Europe, Iraq, and Syria.
- The subcommittee is reviewing concerns regarding predatory for-profit colleges targeting servicemembers and their families.
- The subcommittee is reviewing the Department of Defense's ability to track contractors.
Why It Matters
This hearing sets the stage for how the federal government will allocate defense funding for 2016, specifically addressing the impact of and the use of war-funding accounts on military operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 'Overseas Contingency Operations' (OCO) account?
What is sequestration?
News Coverage
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Shift to OCO Funding
Lawmakers are actively debating the use of war-funding accounts to circumvent base budget spending caps, a practice criticized as a 'budget gimmick'.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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