Clinton signs $288 billion military spending bill into law

In this story: $20 billion increase 'Unrequested programs' RELATED STORIES, SITES

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The men and women of the U.S. military soon will be getting a 3.7 percent pay raise, and funding for their health care needs will jump by 9 percent, after President Clinton signed a military spending bill into law.

"I have signed this bill because, on balance, it demonstrates our commitment to the military, meets our obligations to the troops, maintains readiness, and funds modernization efforts that will ensure our technological edge in the 21st century," Clinton said Wednesday.

$20 billion increase

The Department of Defense Appropriations Act allocates $288 billion to military needs for the fiscal year beginning October 1. The amount is $20 billion more than was appropriated for the last fiscal year and $3.3 billion higher than Clinton requested.

"The bill approves funds to cover the (Defense) Department's most critical needs, consistent with my request that reflected my strong commitment to our nation's security," said the president in a statement announcing his signature.

"Our high military readiness must remain our top national security priority," Clinton said.

'Unrequested programs'

While Clinton applauded the pay raise and a provision that allows military retirees older than 65 to get prescription drug benefits, he criticized Congress for approving "a host of unrequested programs at the expense of other core government activities."

The president did not cite specific examples of excess spending. But Arizona Sen. John McCain and Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, both Republicans, said during Senate debate over the bill that it included more than $7 billion in "outrageous pork-barrel spending" that was not requested by the Pentagon.

They cited a long list of special projects requested by legislators, ranging from $1.5 million for research on chronic fatigue syndrome to $4 million for desert tortoise research in California.

Clinton also objected to provisions classifying $1.8 billion in spending, including $1.1 billion for operations in the Balkans and over Iraq, as emergency supplemental funding for the 2000 budget year.

He said the bill also failed to fund a key chemical weapons destruction facility in Russia, and fails to provide the requested funding level for a joint strike fighter and an amphibious ship program.

CNN White House Correspondent Kelly Wallace and Reuters contributed to this report.

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