Last week the U.S. House of Representatives approved a measure that would allow the Pentagon to spend $601 billion on weapon programs, personnel, construction projects, research efforts and other initiatives.

The massive authorization includes $3 billion in research and development funds for the Army's Future Combat Systems program. The House bill also would authorize spending $2.2 billion for Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles and Stryker vehicle upgrades, $3.4 billion for armored Humvees and $3.1 billion for helicopter programs.

The bill also gives the green light to spend $400 million to purchase two DDG-51 Arleigh Burke destroyers, a move made possible by pushing back delivery of a third DDG 1000-class destroyer.

The House measure authorizes $2.5 billion in procurement and research funding for Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G fighters and adds $262.5 million for Joint Strike Fighter R&D — moves aimed at helping the sea service address its so-called "fighter gap."

The bill also clears the Navy to buy an additional LPD-17 amphibious ship and two new T-AKE transporters.

The measure would fund Air Force programs to purchase 15 new C-17 military cargo planes. It also clears the service to purchase 20 new F-22A fighters next fiscal year. The House also authorized the Air Force to spend $1.3 billion to purchase 52 Predator, Reaper and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Senate Armed Services Committee has approved its own $612.5 billion version of the measure. Because Congress left on May 23 for its annual weeklong Memorial Day recess, the full Senate is not expected to take up its version of the Pentagon authorization bill until next month. A House-Senate conference committee will iron out any differences between the two bills, once the full Senate has approved its bill.

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