Bush inks defense bill

President Bush signs the $317.2 billion defense appropriations bill Jan. 10 as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, far left, and other defense and congressional officials look on.

President Bush signs the $317.2 billion defense appropriations bill Jan. 10 as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, far left, and other defense and congressional officials look on. The military is planning to spend more than $22 billion on IT products and services during fiscal 2002. The bill includes an additional $20 billion in emergency supplemental funds to fight the war on terrorism. Some of the emergency funds will go to increasing intelligence, reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting capabilities at the Defense Department. Civilian agencies, such as the departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Commerce and Energy, are getting money to improve information systems, notification systems and communications.

White House photo by Paul Morse

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