US DoD asks Congress to reprogramme USD8 billion

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has requested that Congress reprogramme nearly USD8 billion in its allocated defence budget for a variety of activities, including equipment fielding and covering higher than expected fuel costs.

The DoD's request must be approved by the four congressional defence panels: the House Armed Services Committee, Senate Armed Services Committee, House Appropriations defence subcommittee and Senate Appropriations defence subcommittee.

In the document, which was transferred to lawmakers on 29 June and made public on 2 July, the Pentagon explained that the "composite fuel price changed from the budgeted rate" of USD131.04 per barrel to an average composite rate of USD143.17 per barrel in Fiscal Year 2012 (FY12).

The increase has caused each of the services to collectively require over USD500 million in funding across their base budget and overseas contingency operations (OCO) accounts. This is in addition to another USD1.7 billion that DoD says is needed "to support Second Destination Transportation shortfalls that resulted from increased fuel costs and continued closure of the Pakistan Ground Lines of Communication".