The White House voiced strong disagreement with key provisions of the House version of the 2015 defense-spending bill, primarily those that address compensation reforms, force-structure management, weapons systems and infrastructure. Key differences center upon several issues, including the Obama administration’s desire to:
* Keep provisions to modernize the avionics on the Air Force’s fleet of C-130 transports, divest E-3 airborne warning and control aircraft, and allow transfer of more Army Apache helicopter gunships to reserve-component units.
* Implement changes that would slow future increases in basic pay and allowances, increase some fees for health-care services through TRICARE, and “reform how commissaries operate.”
* Manage the detainee population at Guantanamo Bay Naval Station, Cuba.
* Pursue another round of base closures under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.
* Continue to train and upgrade Afghan police and military with available assets, including Russian helicopters. The House wants to place limits on such activities.
* Maintain funding levels for the Navy’s littoral combat ship.
* Do away with unrequested funding for the EA-18G aircraft, High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, M-1 Abrams tank, and other programs.
