Lack of Congressional Control over "Pipeline" Funding Available to the Department of Defense

A Congressional officer expressed concern regarding the lack of congressional control over expenditures by the Department of Defense, particularly "pipeline" funding available to that Department under no-year and multiple-year appropriations. Congress requested our advice as to what appropriations made to the Department of Defense may be in violation of the Constitution, which limits appropriations "to raise and support armies" to a period of two years.