As Biden Agrees To Cut Free College, Elder Care, Pentagon To Get More Funds Than It Wants

The newest defense appropriations bill, which will give the Pentagon $10 billion more than it asked for, was announced just as President Joe Biden promised he'd nix programs like free community college and elder care from the reconciliation bill in an attempt to please all members of his party.

Senate appropriators supported a 5 percent increase in defense spending for fiscal 2022 and unveiled plans for an additional $24 billion in military spending on Monday. In total, the defense appropriations bill is $725 billion—$10 billion more than requested by Biden.

The announcement came as Biden and Democratic lawmakers worked to compromise on a $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill that would expand social safety programs and infrastructure spending.

Congress is projected to spend more than $7 trillion on the Pentagon over the next 10 years, which is more than double the cost of the Build Back Better Act over the same timeframe.