White House Gives Pentagon Budget Guidance With Increase

The White House this week gave the Defense Department budget guidance through 2019 that calls for more money after 2015 than congressional budget caps allow, according to U.S. officials.

The Office of Management and Budget guidance, known as the “pass-back,” also includes for the first time an “investment fund” for programs the White House has approved to receive additional funds should they become available, according to the officials, who asked not to be identified because the directive hasn’t been made public.