$533.7B defense budget proposed

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Defense Department would get a baseline budget of $533.7 billion in fiscal year 2010, up from $513.3 billion appropriated by Congress in 2009, under the president's budget. It's part of the $3.55 trillion budget the White House released Thursday. (Sources: Wall Street Journal, Aviation Week, Washington Post, 02/26/09) Gulf Coast note: The DoD budget is crucial to this region, which is home to military bases as well as large and small defense contractors