U.S. President George W. Bush signed a bill Thursday that will provide $417.5 billion for defense programs during fiscal year 2005. The legislation will provide an extra $25 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as increased body armor for military vehicles. "With this legislation, America's military will know that their country stands behind them as they fight for our freedom and as they spread the peace," the president said during a signing ceremony at the White House. The spending bill includes $78 billion for weapons purchases, which was $3 billion more than what the president requested from Congress. It also gives the Defense Department $10 billion to continue work on a national missile defense system.
