President Donald Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) into law on July 4. The 870-page spending legislation directs $157 billion to the already-bloated military-industrial complex. The following are a few of the most egregious examples of wasteful defense spending in the OBBBA.

1. Over $5 Billion for Shipbuilding 

The OBBBA appropriates $5.037 billion, not to procure new naval vessels—although it spends about $20 billion on additions to the fleet—but to subsidize shipbuilding infrastructure. For example, it provides Accelerated Training in Defense Manufacturing (ATDM) $250 million to expand its operations by training people to build and repair submarines. ATDM, which is run by the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR), a political subdivision of the commonwealth of Virginia, already receives grants from the Navy to provide trainees with free housing and tuition for its 16-week program. Providing the program with even more federal dollars is a subsidy not only for the program’s trainees but for Virginia, which operates the IALR in a public-private partnership.

The OBBBA also appropriates $85 million for “United States-made steel plate” and $110 million for a domestic “rolled steel and fabrication facility” for the shipbuilding industrial base. It’s curious that American steel manufacturers still require massive taxpayer subsidies to sponsor their production, considering that Trump imposed 25 percent tariffs on imports of foreign steel, which were continued and expanded under former President Joe Biden. Trump hiked steel tariffs from 25 percent to 50 percent and expanded the list of steel derivatives subject to tariffs in June. One would imagine that, after more than seven years of protectionism, the industry would be able to produce steel for overpaid military sales without government support. Instead of subsidizing it yet again, a better approach to support the industry would be to repeal the Jones Act, which has gutted American shipbuilding.

2. ‘Supply Chain Resiliency’ Receives Nearly $25 Billion

Nearly $25 billion will be spent under the OBBBA to subsidize specific compo

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Article from Reason.com

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