Biden proposes increase to defence and diplomatic budgets

Defence budget is drawing criticism on Capitol Hill from both the right and left

The US Capitol building in Washington, US. President Joe Biden's budget proposals have displeased both left and right. Getty Images

US President Joe Biden on Friday released the outline for his first budget proposal, which includes a 1.7 per cent increase to the defence budget and a 12 per cent increase to the diplomatic and foreign assistance budget.

The defence budget in particular has become a lightning rod for attacks from both Republican hawks, who assert that the proposed increase does not go far enough, and the left wing of Mr Biden's Democratic party, which argues that US defence spending is already bloated and should be cut.

The US spends more on its military than any other country in the world and Mr Biden is proposing $753 billion in defence spending for Fiscal Year 2022, up from the $740 billion that Congress approved  last year under former president Donald Trump.

"The pursuit of our national security interests requires investments that target and align our priorities and capabilities to address the constantly evolving and dynamic threat landscape," Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.

The Pentagon said the budget  "addresses threats to the nation by prioritising the need to counter the pacing threat from China as the department's top challenge, deterring nation-state threats emanating from Russia, Iran and North Korea, funding investments in long-range strike capabilities to bolster deterrence and improve survivability, and promoting climate resilience and energy efficiencies".

While the president releases a federal budget proposal every year, Congress ultimately passes spending legislation, which the president may sign on to or veto.

And while the Biden administration has yet to release its full budget request beyond the top-line values, there’s already grumbling on Capitol Hill from both sides of the aisle.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and four other Republicans issued a statement slamming the budget proposal, arguing that it sends “a terrible signal not only to our adversaries in Beijing and Moscow but also to our allies and partners".

Mike Rogers of Michigan, the top Republican on the armed services committee in the House of Representatives, also cited China in his argument for a bigger defence budget increase.

He noted that Mr Austin indicated in his Senate confirmation hearing that the gap between the Chinese and US military has "closed significantly".

"The Biden administration has talked a big game towards China," Mr Rogers said. "Unfortunately, the release of their skinny budget today indicates it is just talk.

“The bipartisan, congressionally mandated national defence strategy commission recommended that ‘Congress increase the base defence budget at an average rate of three to five per cent above inflation.’ That target has my full support.”

But the budget also marks a defeat for a coalition of left-wing Democrats who had pushed for defence spending cuts, as part of a revamped national security agenda.

Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, praised Mr Biden’s proposed 16 per cent increase in domestic spending, but threatened to flex the left-wing coalition’s muscles in the House, as part of a bid to force defence spending cuts.

"A proposed increase of $13bn in defence spending is far too much, given its already rapid growth at a time of relative peace," Mr Pocan said.

“We cannot best build back better if the Pentagon’s budget is larger than it was under Donald Trump.”

Democrats only have a slim majority in Congress. Consequently, they can only afford a few defections from their own party to pass their spending legislation, assuming no Republicans jump on board.

Still, Mr Biden may yet get his military budget increase, as it received an endorsement from Betty McCollum of Minnesota, another left-leaning House member, who chairs the defence spending panel.

Ms McCollum said that it “will sustain readiness and modernisation while we also focus on divesting from ineffective legacy programmes and eliminating wasteful spending".

Additionally, Mr Biden's proposed 12 per cent increase in diplomatic and foreign aid budget mirrors a proposal that a group of Democrats released earlier this year.

The proposal would allocate $63.5bn for international programmes in fiscal year 2022 – up from the $56.7bn in non-military foreign affairs spending that Congress approved last year.

The State Department said the proposal would revitalise "the national security workforce" while allowing the Biden administration to "rebuild our badly damaged refugee admissions programme", allowing the US to raise its refugee cap to 125,000.

"Global leadership includes meeting our commitments to international peacekeeping missions and other UN commitments, which includes paying our dues on time and in full, reversing the chronic underfunding of, and arrears accrued for, critical programmes during the previous administration," the State Department said.

It also noted that the proposal "advances the administration's commitment to a sustainable two-state solution in the Middle East and restores economic and humanitarian assistance to the West Bank and Gaza".