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What McCain’s budget block means for DoD programs

Dov Zakheim, former Under Secretary of Defense, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to explain what this block will mean for defense budgeting and which programs ...

Federal News Network Staff

March 16, 2012 5:45 pm

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wfedstaff | June 4, 2015 6:38 pm

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Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said this week he will block routine reprogramming requests from the Defense Department to move money around in the budget to pay for new programs not previously authorized.

The Navy Times reports the practice of reprogramming has grown to $15 billion of funds that shift between accounts after congressional approval. Within two months after the fiscal 2012 Defense authorization act was signed into law, DoD had sent seven transfer requests to Congress that totaled $850 million, McCain said, reports Defense News.

Dov Zakheim, former Under Secretary of Defense, joined In Depth with Francis Rose to explain what this block will mean for defense budgeting and which programs might be affected.