Bureaucratic Politics and the B-2 Bomber: The FY'96 Budget as a Case Study.

摘要

Almost three years ago, Congress agreed to halt the procurement of B- 2 bombers after funding 20 aircraft. The Clinton FY'96 defense budget did not include money for additional bombers, and the Administration remained firmly opposed to building more B-2s during congressional hearings. However, the FY'96 defense authorization and appropriations bills passed by the Congress and signed by the President contain an additional $493 million in funding for the B- 2 This paper examines the multiple political strands underlying the B-2 funding decision. Specifically, it focuses on the 'iron triangle' of mutual interests that has formed around the B-2 program and what happened when this bureaucratic coalition ran into conflict with presidential politics.