US Senate Approves $421-Billion For Defense In Budget

Money that had been stripped from the military’s budget for the 2005 fiscal year is restored by the U.S. Senate. President Bush has requested $421-Billion in military spending, but the Senate initially cut $7-Billion from that total. Senator Jim Talent then co-sponsored an effort to restore the funding, telling colleagues the percentage of budget money spent on the military is not what it should be when the country is at war. The $421-Billion is part of a $2.4-Trillion budget package for the next fiscal year. The Senate and House must have identical versions before the package can be sent to President Bush for his signature.