Congressional Budget Office
Vision Strategic Planning Forum
February 22, 2016
Matthew Goldberg
Deputy Assistant Director for National Security
This presentation contains data from and includes other information published in CBO’s The Budget and Economic Outlook:
2016 to 2026 (January 2016), www.cbo.gov/publication/51129; and Long-Term Implications of the 2016 Future Years
Defense Program (January 2016), www.cbo.gov/publication/51050.
Prospects for DoD’s Budget
Over the Next Decade
1CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The U.S. Fiscal Situation
2CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
CBO projects the budget outlook if
current laws governing taxes and
spending generally remain unchanged.
Relative to the size of the economy,
mandatory spending and interest
payments are projected to rise while
revenues remain relatively flat.
3CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Total Revenues and Outlays
Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
4CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
CBO projects that, under current law,
the deficit would remain slightly below
3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)
through 2018, but then start to rise,
reaching 4.9 percent in 2026.
5CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Total Deficits or Surpluses
Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
6CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
In total, three components of the
budget—Social Security, the major health
care programs, and net interest—are
projected to rise from 11.9 percent of GDP
in 2016 to 15.5 percent in 2026.
7CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Spending and Revenues Projected in CBO’s Baseline,
Compared With Actual Values in 1966 and 1991
Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
8CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Those three components of the budget—
Social Security, the major health care
programs, and net interest—account for
83 percent of the total increase in outlays
(in nominal terms) over the coming
decade.
9CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Components of the Total Increase in Outlays in
CBO’s Baseline Between 2016 and 2026
Total Increase
in Outlays:
$2.5 Trillion
(In nominal dollars)
All Other Programs
(17%)
Net Interest
(23%)
Social Security
(28%)
Major Health Care Programs
(32%)Medicare
(20%)
Other
(12%)
10CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Debt held by the public is projected to
increase from 76 percent of GDP in 2016
to 86 percent at the end of 2026.
At the end of 2026, federal debt would be
the highest as a percentage of GDP since
just after World War II.
11CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Federal Debt Held by the Public
Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
12CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The Budget Control Act and the
Department of Defense
13CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) placed
separate caps on defense and nondefense
discretionary funding through 2021.
Roughly half of discretionary spending is for
national defense, and almost all of that is
carried out by the Department of Defense (DoD).
14CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The BCA was amended three times to raise
the caps:
• The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
raised the caps for 2013.
• The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013
raised the caps for 2014 and 2015.
• The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015
raised the caps for 2016 and 2017.
15CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Funding for overseas contingency operations
(OCO) is not constrained by the caps.
Such funding was originally intended for
operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
In practice, the Congress has provided
OCO funding for other purposes.
16CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Development of DoD’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget
Billions of Dollars
17CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
In his 2016 budget, the President
proposed total funding (base budget plus
OCO) for DoD of $585 billion.
The National Defense Authorization Act
(as enacted) authorized $581 billion, and
the appropriations ended up matching that
amount—some $4 billion less than the
President had proposed.
18CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Relative to the President’s 2016 budget
request, the operation and maintenance
(O&M) appropriation was cut by $7 billion
(3 percent), and the procurement
appropriation was increased by $4 billion
(4 percent).
19CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The main procurement increases were the
following:
• 11 additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft
• 5 additional F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft
• 7 additional E/A-18G Growler aircraft
• 4 additional MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles
• Incremental funding for 1 Arleigh Burke-class
destroyer ($1.0 billion)
• 1 Joint High Speed Vessel
• 1 Afloat Forward Staging Base
20CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
DoD’s Five-year Plan (2016–2020) and
CBO’s Extension to 2030
21CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
DoD’s Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)
gives its detailed funding plan over a five-
year window.
The FYDP is submitted to the Congress
annually along with the President’s budget;
the FYDP for 2016–2020 accompanied the
President’s 2016 budget.
CBO projected the costs of DoD’s plans
through 2030.
22CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
CBO’s projection was based on DoD’s cost
estimates in the 2016 FYDP as well as
DoD’s longer-term estimates, if available.
Total costs would be higher if they were to
grow at rates similar to those observed in
DoD’s recent budgets.
23CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
CBO’s analysis was not a forecast or
prediction of future budgets.
Rather, CBO estimated the resources
needed to implement the programs and
policies that would be put into place in the
2016–2020 FYDP time frame.
24CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
OCO funding has been a significant share of
DoD’s budget during the past fifteen years.
The 2017 President’s budget request
includes OCO funding of $59 billion for DoD.
$5 billion of that request is for what are
ordinarily base-budget activities, including
procurement.
25CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The 2017 OCO request is not reflected in
CBO’s analysis of the 2016 FYDP but will be
included in CBO’s upcoming analysis of the
2017 FYDP.
26CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Costs of DoD’s 2016 Plans in the Context of the
Budget Control Act of 2011, As Amended
Billions of 2016 Dollars
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
Base Budget
Base-Budget Plus
Overseas Contingency
Operations Funding
Actual
FYDP
Period
Beyond the
FYDP Period
Estimate of Base-
Budget Funding
Available to DoD
Under the
Budget Control
Act of 2011
Projection Using
DoD's Cost
Assumptions
27CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
DoD’s estimates of the costs of the 2016 FYDP
exceed the BCA’s limits by a total of $107 billion
(in 2016 dollars) from 2017 to 2020.
CBO projects a steep increase in acquisition
costs starting in 2021, suggesting that
weapons development and procurement is
being deferred until beyond the FYDP period.
28CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Costs of DoD’s Plans, by Appropriation Category
Billions of 2016 Dollars
29CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
The Congress has not always approved
DoD’s plans to cap military pay raises
below the growth rate of the employment
cost index (ECI), increase fees for military
health care, or initiate another round of
base realignment and closure (BRAC).
30CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Areas Where Costs of DoD’s 2016 Plans Could Be
Higher Than DoD’s Estimates
Total Increase
2016–2020 2016–2030
Areas in Which Different Policies May Be Adopted
Increase Military Pay at the Rate of the ECI Instead of the
Lower Rate Assumed by DoD for 2017 Through 2020 13.4 73.9
Increase Civilian Pay at the Rate of the ECI Minus
0.6 Percentage Points (Average Since 2007) Instead of the
Lower Rate Assumed by DoD for 2017 Through 2020 5.0 29.0
Do Not Implement DoD's Proposals to Consolidate
TRICARE Plans and Increase Various Fees 3.0 13.3
Do Not Implement DoD's Proposal to Institute
TRICARE for Life Annual Enrollment Fees 0.4 1.4
Fund Military Construction at Historical Levels
(Adjusted for Force Size) 9.4 9.4
________ __________
Subtotal 31.2 127.0
Billions of 2016 Dollars
31CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
During the past several decades, the costs
of developing and procuring new weapon
systems have averaged 20 percent to
30 percent more than DoD’s initial estimates.
32CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Areas Where Costs of DoD’s 2016 Plans Could Be
Higher Than DoD’s Estimates (Continued)
Total Increase
2016–2020 2016–2030
Areas in Which Costs Could Be Higher
Acquisition Costs for Major Programs Grow as
They Have in the Past 22.7 155.5
Operation and Maintenance Costs (Adjusted for Force Size)
Grow as They Have in the Past 2.7 35.7
________ __________
Subtotal 25.4 191.2
All Areas Combined
Total 56.6 318.3
Billions of 2016 Dollars
33CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
If the Congress rejects certain cost-saving
proposals that it has not accepted in the
past, and if costs for weapon systems
continue to rise as they have in the past,
funding required to implement the
Administration’s plans would exceed the
BCA caps by $162 billion (in 2016 dollars)
over the 2017–2020 period.

Prospects for DOD’s Budget Over the Next Decade

  • 1.
    Congressional Budget Office VisionStrategic Planning Forum February 22, 2016 Matthew Goldberg Deputy Assistant Director for National Security This presentation contains data from and includes other information published in CBO’s The Budget and Economic Outlook: 2016 to 2026 (January 2016), www.cbo.gov/publication/51129; and Long-Term Implications of the 2016 Future Years Defense Program (January 2016), www.cbo.gov/publication/51050. Prospects for DoD’s Budget Over the Next Decade
  • 2.
    1CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TheU.S. Fiscal Situation
  • 3.
    2CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE CBOprojects the budget outlook if current laws governing taxes and spending generally remain unchanged. Relative to the size of the economy, mandatory spending and interest payments are projected to rise while revenues remain relatively flat.
  • 4.
    3CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TotalRevenues and Outlays Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
  • 5.
    4CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE CBOprojects that, under current law, the deficit would remain slightly below 3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) through 2018, but then start to rise, reaching 4.9 percent in 2026.
  • 6.
    5CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TotalDeficits or Surpluses Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
  • 7.
    6CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Intotal, three components of the budget—Social Security, the major health care programs, and net interest—are projected to rise from 11.9 percent of GDP in 2016 to 15.5 percent in 2026.
  • 8.
    7CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Spendingand Revenues Projected in CBO’s Baseline, Compared With Actual Values in 1966 and 1991 Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
  • 9.
    8CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Thosethree components of the budget— Social Security, the major health care programs, and net interest—account for 83 percent of the total increase in outlays (in nominal terms) over the coming decade.
  • 10.
    9CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Componentsof the Total Increase in Outlays in CBO’s Baseline Between 2016 and 2026 Total Increase in Outlays: $2.5 Trillion (In nominal dollars) All Other Programs (17%) Net Interest (23%) Social Security (28%) Major Health Care Programs (32%)Medicare (20%) Other (12%)
  • 11.
    10CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Debtheld by the public is projected to increase from 76 percent of GDP in 2016 to 86 percent at the end of 2026. At the end of 2026, federal debt would be the highest as a percentage of GDP since just after World War II.
  • 12.
    11CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE FederalDebt Held by the Public Percentage of Gross Domestic Product
  • 13.
    12CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TheBudget Control Act and the Department of Defense
  • 14.
    13CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TheBudget Control Act of 2011 (BCA) placed separate caps on defense and nondefense discretionary funding through 2021. Roughly half of discretionary spending is for national defense, and almost all of that is carried out by the Department of Defense (DoD).
  • 15.
    14CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TheBCA was amended three times to raise the caps: • The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 raised the caps for 2013. • The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 raised the caps for 2014 and 2015. • The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 raised the caps for 2016 and 2017.
  • 16.
    15CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Fundingfor overseas contingency operations (OCO) is not constrained by the caps. Such funding was originally intended for operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. In practice, the Congress has provided OCO funding for other purposes.
  • 17.
    16CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Developmentof DoD’s Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Billions of Dollars
  • 18.
    17CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Inhis 2016 budget, the President proposed total funding (base budget plus OCO) for DoD of $585 billion. The National Defense Authorization Act (as enacted) authorized $581 billion, and the appropriations ended up matching that amount—some $4 billion less than the President had proposed.
  • 19.
    18CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Relativeto the President’s 2016 budget request, the operation and maintenance (O&M) appropriation was cut by $7 billion (3 percent), and the procurement appropriation was increased by $4 billion (4 percent).
  • 20.
    19CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Themain procurement increases were the following: • 11 additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft • 5 additional F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft • 7 additional E/A-18G Growler aircraft • 4 additional MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles • Incremental funding for 1 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer ($1.0 billion) • 1 Joint High Speed Vessel • 1 Afloat Forward Staging Base
  • 21.
    20CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE DoD’sFive-year Plan (2016–2020) and CBO’s Extension to 2030
  • 22.
    21CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE DoD’sFuture Years Defense Program (FYDP) gives its detailed funding plan over a five- year window. The FYDP is submitted to the Congress annually along with the President’s budget; the FYDP for 2016–2020 accompanied the President’s 2016 budget. CBO projected the costs of DoD’s plans through 2030.
  • 23.
    22CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE CBO’sprojection was based on DoD’s cost estimates in the 2016 FYDP as well as DoD’s longer-term estimates, if available. Total costs would be higher if they were to grow at rates similar to those observed in DoD’s recent budgets.
  • 24.
    23CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE CBO’sanalysis was not a forecast or prediction of future budgets. Rather, CBO estimated the resources needed to implement the programs and policies that would be put into place in the 2016–2020 FYDP time frame.
  • 25.
    24CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE OCOfunding has been a significant share of DoD’s budget during the past fifteen years. The 2017 President’s budget request includes OCO funding of $59 billion for DoD. $5 billion of that request is for what are ordinarily base-budget activities, including procurement.
  • 26.
    25CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE The2017 OCO request is not reflected in CBO’s analysis of the 2016 FYDP but will be included in CBO’s upcoming analysis of the 2017 FYDP.
  • 27.
    26CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Costsof DoD’s 2016 Plans in the Context of the Budget Control Act of 2011, As Amended Billions of 2016 Dollars 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020 2025 2030 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 Base Budget Base-Budget Plus Overseas Contingency Operations Funding Actual FYDP Period Beyond the FYDP Period Estimate of Base- Budget Funding Available to DoD Under the Budget Control Act of 2011 Projection Using DoD's Cost Assumptions
  • 28.
    27CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE DoD’sestimates of the costs of the 2016 FYDP exceed the BCA’s limits by a total of $107 billion (in 2016 dollars) from 2017 to 2020. CBO projects a steep increase in acquisition costs starting in 2021, suggesting that weapons development and procurement is being deferred until beyond the FYDP period.
  • 29.
    28CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Costsof DoD’s Plans, by Appropriation Category Billions of 2016 Dollars
  • 30.
    29CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE TheCongress has not always approved DoD’s plans to cap military pay raises below the growth rate of the employment cost index (ECI), increase fees for military health care, or initiate another round of base realignment and closure (BRAC).
  • 31.
    30CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE AreasWhere Costs of DoD’s 2016 Plans Could Be Higher Than DoD’s Estimates Total Increase 2016–2020 2016–2030 Areas in Which Different Policies May Be Adopted Increase Military Pay at the Rate of the ECI Instead of the Lower Rate Assumed by DoD for 2017 Through 2020 13.4 73.9 Increase Civilian Pay at the Rate of the ECI Minus 0.6 Percentage Points (Average Since 2007) Instead of the Lower Rate Assumed by DoD for 2017 Through 2020 5.0 29.0 Do Not Implement DoD's Proposals to Consolidate TRICARE Plans and Increase Various Fees 3.0 13.3 Do Not Implement DoD's Proposal to Institute TRICARE for Life Annual Enrollment Fees 0.4 1.4 Fund Military Construction at Historical Levels (Adjusted for Force Size) 9.4 9.4 ________ __________ Subtotal 31.2 127.0 Billions of 2016 Dollars
  • 32.
    31CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Duringthe past several decades, the costs of developing and procuring new weapon systems have averaged 20 percent to 30 percent more than DoD’s initial estimates.
  • 33.
    32CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE AreasWhere Costs of DoD’s 2016 Plans Could Be Higher Than DoD’s Estimates (Continued) Total Increase 2016–2020 2016–2030 Areas in Which Costs Could Be Higher Acquisition Costs for Major Programs Grow as They Have in the Past 22.7 155.5 Operation and Maintenance Costs (Adjusted for Force Size) Grow as They Have in the Past 2.7 35.7 ________ __________ Subtotal 25.4 191.2 All Areas Combined Total 56.6 318.3 Billions of 2016 Dollars
  • 34.
    33CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE Ifthe Congress rejects certain cost-saving proposals that it has not accepted in the past, and if costs for weapon systems continue to rise as they have in the past, funding required to implement the Administration’s plans would exceed the BCA caps by $162 billion (in 2016 dollars) over the 2017–2020 period.