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Military Funding

The United States military budget is that portion of the United States discretionary federal budget that is allocated for the funding of the Department of Defense. This military budget finances employee salaries and training costs, the maintenance of equipment and facilities, support of new or ongoing operations, and development and procurement of new equipment. The budget includes funding for all branches of the military: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. For 2007, the budget was raised to a total of US$532.8 Billion. This does not include many military-related items that are outside of the Defense Department budget, such as nuclear weapons research, maintenance and production (which is in the Department of Energy budget), Veterans Affairs or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (which are largely funded through extra-budgetary supplements, e.g. $120 Billion in 2007). Conversely, the military budget does include a certain amount of spending that is of dual-use nature; for instance, infrastructure development for areas around US military bases within the United States often fall under the military budget.

Joseph Biden on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase size of military; increase special-op forces; create civilian corp to respond to emergencies worldwide
Description:	Biden wants to see an enhancement in military numbers. Biden is advocating a larger concentration of special-operations forces and the creation of a civilian corps that would respond to post-conflict emergencies worldwide.
Citations:

'08 hopefuls would grow the military (8/14/07)
Former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) and Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.) also want to see an enhancement in military numbers. Biden is advocating a larger concentration of special-operations forces and the creation of a civilian corps that would respond to post-conflict emergencies worldwide.

Sam Brownback on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase funding to increase size of military
Description:	Brownback want to see a larger Army and Marine Corps.
Citations:

1.	'08 hopefuls would grow the military (8/14/07) Among the Republicans, McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.) want to see a larger Army and Marine Corps.

Hillary Clinton on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Cap Spending by capping number of troops.
Description:	Hillary Rodham Clinton wants to cap the number of troops in Iraq to prevent Bush's increase, but is reluctant to cut funding while soldiers are on the ground.
Citations:

1.	John Edwards: Cut Iraq Funding Now (7/6/07) Talks about Hillary Clintons opposing views to Edwards.

Christopher Dodd on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Use funds from the war to rebuild Army, Marine Corp, and prepare military to counter terrorism
Description:	Dodd said he would stop funding "the flawed strategy in Iraq" and use funds to rebuild the Army and Marine Corps as well as prepare the military to counter terrorism.
Citations:

1.	'08 hopefuls would grow the military (8/14/07) Talks about Dodd's plan to divert funds from Iraq war to rebuild army

John Edwards on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase funding to increase size of military
Description:	Edwards want to see an enhancement in military numbers.
Citations:

Newt Gingrich on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Cut military spending
Description:	Gingrich feels our military dominates the world and doesn't need to be vastly modernized.
Citations:

Cold War Is Over, So Trim the Military (8/14/07)
Now Gingrich wants to bust the budget. The speaker is calling for more military spending. "We have lived off the Reagan buildup as long as we can," Gingrich testified before the House Budget Committee. "The fact is that our defense structure is getting weaker, our equipment is getting obsolete, our troops are stretched too thin." Only outlays well above the $270 billion budgeted for next year can ensure "that no one can compete with us."

Rudolph Giuliani on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase military funding to increase amount of troops and invest in newer technologies
Description:	On cutting cutting military spending; Giuliani responded with a prompt no: "It's already been done. Clinton cut our military budget by enormous amounts in the 1990s, and it left us in a position where we can't face the dangers we're facing right now." He said he would look for wasteful spending in the military, but would instead reinvest that in increased troop strength and newer technology.
Citations:

1.	Rudy Giuliani: Asked About HIV, He Answers With 9/11 (8/14/07) Giuliani says he wants to increase the military budget.

Chuck Hagel on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase funding to increase size of military
Description:	Hagel wants to increase the size of the U.S. Army and Marines.
Citations:

1.	Sen. Hagel: On news of US-supported attacks on Iran, war funding and his war support (8/14/07) Hagel talks about how we need to keep funding the military.
2.	Issues: Military (8/14/07) Senator Hagel led the fight to increase the size of the U.S. Army and Marines. Senator Hagel sponsored legislation to increase the military death benefit and eliminate the fee charged to members of the American military to sign up for the Montgomery G.I. Bill. - Hagel's campaign site

Mike Huckabee on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase funding to increase size of military
Description:	Huckabee wants to see a larger Army and Marine Corps.
Citations:

1.	'08 hopefuls would grow the military (8/14/07) Among the Republicans, McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.) want to see a larger Army and Marine Corps.

Duncan Hunter on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase funding to increase size of military
Description:	Hunter wants to see a larger Army and Marine Corps.
Citations:

1.	'08 hopefuls would grow the military (8/14/07) Among the Republicans, McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Duncan Hunter (Calif.) want to see a larger Army and Marine Corps.

Dennis Kucinich on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Cut off war funding. Opposes more spending on armed forces.
Description:	Kucinich is in favor of.... 1. A 15% DoD reduction. 2. Cutting Pentagon spending 3. Restrict no-bid defense contracts
Citations:

1.	Dennis Kucinich Q&A (7/9/07) Dennis Kucinich talks about bloated military spending and supports a 15% reduction.
2.	Kucinich's replies @ Aug. 7, '07 Dem. Pres. Debate (11/16/07) Kucinich wants to stop funding the war.

John McCain on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Proper funding and modernizitation of forces
Description:	John McCain has been an advocate of our military and ensuring that our forces are properly postured, and funded. He wants to modernize our forces, to ensure that America maintains and expands its technological edge.
Citations:

1.	On the Issues (7/5/07) A description of McCain's stance on several issues.

Barack Obama on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Supports military funding but wants it to be tied to a withdrawal from Iraq
Description:	Senator Barack Obama voted against a military funding bill in 2007 citing it did not contain stipulations about withdrawing from Iraq. Previous to this, Senator Obama has voted for military funding.
Citations:

1.	Obama Statement on President's Veto of Iraq Funding Bill (8/1/07) Senator Barack Obama voices his displeasure with President Bush's veto of the Iraq war funding bill.
2.	Obama defends votes in favor of Iraq funding (8/1/07) Discusses Senator Obama's stance on Iraq funding. Specifically why he is against the war but continually votes for the funding measures. It also includes why he voted against some funding measures.
3.	Clinton, Obama war funding votes draw criticism (8/1/07) Discusses Senator Clinton's and Senator Obama's votes on Iraq war funding.

Ron Paul on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Cut military spending by 10%
Description:	Paul wants to cut the budget by 10% which he says includes cutting military spending by 10%.
Citations:

1.	Too Little Too Late (8/14/07) Paul wants to cut the budget and fast!
2.	The 2008 Federal Budget (7/5/07) Ron Paul wants to cut government spending overall and complains about the increase in military spending.
3.	The Upcoming Iraq War Funding Bill (7/29/07) Representative Ron Paul voices his displeasure for increasing funds for the war in Iraq.
4.	Defund the War by Rep. Ron Paul (7/29/07) Representative Ron Paul speaks in the House against increasing military funds.

Bill Richardson on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Cut Military funding mainly by de-authorizing the war
Description:	Richardson wants to cut military spending because he feels it could be better used with education, health care, and global warming.
Citations:

1.	'08 hopefuls would grow the military (8/14/07) Comments on Richardson being one of the only ones who wants to cut the defense budget.
2.	Issues: Iraq (8/14/07) Richardson talks about ending the Iraq war and cutting military spending.

Mitt Romney on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Increase funding and size military
Description:	Romney said he would increase the size of the U.S. military by 100,000 troops and increase funding for them by about $40 billion a year.
Citations:

1.	Romney Sticks Close To N.E. On Memorial Day (7/19/07) Talks about Romenys stance on military funding by citing a speech he gave on memorial day.

Fred Thompson on Military Funding More on this candidate

Stance:	Supports a strong military and would spend whatever it takes.
Description:	Fred Thompson would be willing to spend any amount of money in the interest of national security.
Citations:

1.	Fred Thompson: A New Hope? (8/14/07) Talks about the possibility of Thompson running and that he wants to increase the military.
2.	2008 DMR/ IPTV IA Republican Debate (Part 2) (12/20/07) He would be willing to go into a deficit to have a strong military.

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Military Funding

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