Department of War Appropriations Act
The FY2027 Department of War Appropriations Act represents the annual legislative measure that allocates discretionary funding for the operations, maintenance, procurement, and related activities of the Department of War (formerly the Department of Defense) for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2027. This bill is part of the broader federal appropriations process, which encompasses 12 annual bills covering various government functions, with the defense appropriations bill typically being one of the largest, accounting for approximately half of all discretionary spending. For FY2026, the comparable bill provided $831.5 billion in discretionary funding, supporting military personnel, research and development, equipment procurement, and operational sustainment, among other priorities. The FY2027 version will follow a similar structure, incorporating adjustments based on national security needs, inflation, and congressional negotiations.
In detail, the Act authorizes funding across key accounts, such as Operation and Maintenance (for day-to-day activities like training and base operations), Procurement (for acquiring weapons, ammunition, and equipment), Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E, for innovation), and Military Personnel (for pay and benefits). It does not include mandatory spending like veterans' benefits, which are handled separately. The bill also includes policy provisions, such as directives for reporting or program adjustments, which is where amendments like the one proposed in this campaign—mandating a minimum of 3,120 rounds of annual rifle training for every Marine—can be incorporated. The process begins with the President's Budget Request, submitted to Congress in early February 2026, which outlines the administration's funding priorities. Congress then reviews, amends, and passes the bill through committees, floor votes, and reconciliation between the House and Senate, aiming for enactment by October 1, 2026, though delays via continuing resolutions are common.
At the appropriate place in title II (relating to operation and maintenance), insert the following:
SEC. __. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MARINE CORPS MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING SUSTAINMENT.
(a) Appropriation.—In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated or made available by this Act, there is appropriated $75,000,000 for Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps, to remain available until expended.
(b) Purpose.—The funds appropriated under subsection (a) shall be used solely for increasing rifle range time and marksmanship sustainment training to achieve a minimum of 3,120 rounds per Marine annually (preferably through weekly sessions of 60 rounds, but allowing monthly, quarterly, or other flexible scheduling as unit needs dictate), and related operational support (such as range maintenance, logistics, training personnel, and rifle sustainment including barrel replacements), for all Marines, with priority on non-infantry and support military occupational specialties (e.g., Communications, Logistics, Administration), to ensure compliance with an updated Combat Marksmanship Program (Marine Corps Order 3574.2M) and enhance combat readiness.
(c) Policy Directive.—The Commandant of the Marine Corps shall update Marine Corps Order 3574.2M within 90 days of the enactment of this Act to mandate a minimum of 3,120 rounds of rifle marksmanship training annually for every Marine, regardless of military occupational specialty, as a floor for sustainment beyond initial qualification.
(d) Reporting Requirement.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Marine Corps shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees detailing the allocation, expenditure, and impact of these funds on marksmanship training frequency, readiness outcomes, and rifle sustainment costs (including barrel replacements), including compliance with the 3,120-round minimum across all roles.
At the appropriate place in title III (relating to procurement), insert the following:
SEC. __. ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR SMALL-ARMS AMMUNITION PROCUREMENT.
(a) Appropriation.—In addition to amounts otherwise appropriated or made available by this Act, there is appropriated $160,000,000 for Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps, to remain available until expended.
(b) Purpose.—The funds appropriated under subsection (a) shall be used solely for the procurement of 5.56mm ammunition to support increased marksmanship training at a rate sufficient to achieve a minimum of 3,120 rounds per Marine annually (preferably weekly, but allowing monthly, quarterly, or other flexible scheduling as unit needs dictate) for all Marines, with priority on approximately 118,000 in non-infantry and support military occupational specialties, ensuring sufficient ammunition to maintain combat readiness without duplicating allocations for combat-oriented fields.
(c) Clarification.—The funds appropriated under this section are separate from and in addition to the funds provided under the section titled "ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR MARINE CORPS MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING SUSTAINMENT" and address the distinct need for ammunition procurement to support the training activities funded therein.
(d) Reporting Requirement.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commandant of the Marine Corps shall submit a report to the congressional defense committees detailing the allocation, expenditure, and impact of these funds on ammunition availability and marksmanship training frequency, including progress toward the 3,120-round minimum.
Full Text of the Proposed Amendment
Explanation of the Amendment
This amendment aims to address deficiencies in rifle marksmanship training within the United States Marine Corps by establishing a mandatory minimum standard and providing dedicated funding to achieve it. It targets the Fiscal Year 2027 Department of War Appropriations Act, which governs annual funding for military operations, maintenance, and procurement. The proposal focuses on enhancing sustainment training for all Marines, with particular emphasis on the approximately 118,000 personnel in non-infantry and support roles who currently receive limited range time. By mandating flexible yet consistent training schedules and requiring updates to existing Marine Corps orders, the amendment seeks to uphold the Corps' core doctrine of universal rifle proficiency while incorporating accountability through congressional reporting. The total funding requested represents a modest investment relative to the overall Department of War budget, promoting long-term readiness without imposing unfunded mandates.
Breakdown of Numbers and Budgeting Details
The amendment's financial and operational figures are derived from current Marine Corps personnel data, training standards, and procurement costs. Below is a detailed analysis, including assumptions and implications for rifle sustainment.
Total Additional Funding Requested: $235,000,000 for FY2027.
This allocation is divided into two distinct accounts to address operational support and ammunition needs separately, ensuring efficient use and compliance with federal budgeting structures.
Relative to the FY2026 Department of War discretionary budget of approximately $848 billion, this represents less than 0.03%, underscoring its targeted and feasible nature.
Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps (OMMC) Allocation: $75,000,000.
Purpose Breakdown: Covers increased range operations, logistics, training personnel, and rifle sustainment. This includes an estimated $5,000,000 annually for rifle barrel replacements due to accelerated wear from higher round counts.
Rifle Wear Calculation: Based on an average barrel life of 10,000 rounds for the M4 carbine (the primary service rifle), the proposal's increase in firing (320,416,000 additional rounds annually service-wide) would necessitate approximately 32,042 barrel replacements per year at $160 per unit (bulk military contract rate). This accounts for the projected rise from current total rounds (198,620,000) to 519,036,000, focusing the cost on the 118,000 support Marines receiving 2,720 extra rounds each.
Other OMMC Costs: The remaining $70,000,000 supports facility maintenance, transportation, and scheduling for flexible training (e.g., weekly 60-round sessions or monthly equivalents), scaled to 70% of the force to avoid redundancy for combat roles already exceeding the minimum.
Procurement of Ammunition, Navy and Marine Corps (PAMC) Allocation: $160,000,000.
Purpose Breakdown: Funds the acquisition of 5.56mm ammunition to bridge the training gap, calculated at $0.50 per round (military procurement rate from FY2025 budget data).
Ammunition Calculation: Targets the shortfall for 118,000 support Marines (70% of 168,300 active-duty total), adding 2,720 rounds per Marine annually (from 400 to 3,120), totaling 320,416,000 rounds at $0.50 each. This builds on the current PAMC baseline of $47 million for small arms, which is insufficient for expanded sustainment.
No Duplication: Combat-oriented roles (30%, ~50,500 Marines) are excluded from this increase, as they already average 3,000+ rounds yearly through unit exercises.
Personnel and Scope Assumptions:
Total Active-Duty Marines: 168,300 (as of March 2025 data).
Support/Non-Infantry Proportion: 70% (118,000), based on MOS distributions (e.g., Communications, Logistics).
Current Training Baseline: 400 rounds/year for support roles (annual qualification focus); no change needed for combat roles.
Flexibility Provision: Allows unit-level adaptations (e.g., quarterly blocks) to address constraints like overseas range access in Japan.
Long-Term Budgeting Implications:
The amendment is structured for FY2027 but anticipates recurring needs (e.g., $5,000,000 annual barrel sustainment), which could be incorporated into future baselines.
Reporting requirements ensure transparency, allowing Congress to evaluate impact and adjust allocations, mitigating risks of inefficiency.
This amendment promotes fiscal responsibility by focusing resources where needed most, enhancing Marine Corps readiness without broad overhauls.