President Obama signed the $1.1 trillion spending bill late Tuesday funding most of the government through 2015. The legislation has been dubbed the “Cromnibus” because it provides long-term funding including in 11 of the 12 regular appropriations bills, including the Defense Department. However, it only funds the Department of Homeland Security through February 2015, leaving room for more debate over Obama’s controversial executive action last month regarding undocumented immigrants. For the Defense Department, the bill includes $490 billion in base spending and another $64 billion in overseas contingency funds. It also includes funding to continue fighting ISIS in Iraq and Syria and to combat Ebola in Africa.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
