Counterterrorism fund takes a hit in new budget deal

By Jacqueline Klimas, Jacqueline Klimas

Published December 20, 2015

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A counterterrorism fund and the Syrian train-and-equip program are two line items getting slashed in an agreement reached Monday on Capitol Hill to fund the Pentagon under the new budget deal, according to reports.

The budget deal that recently became law provides the Pentagon with more money than if sequestration had gone back into effect, but about $5 billion less than both the president's fiscal 2016 request and the Republican budget that passed Congress.

Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, warned on Monday that the cuts needed to stay under the new caps would be painful, even though analysts said the budget deal was overall good news for the Defense Department.