Congress Must Not Shortchange the Military at a Time of War

Publication Date: November 2005

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Baker Spring; Brian M. Riedl

Research Area: Military and defense

Keywords: Budget; war; defense

Type: Brief

Abstract:

On June 20th, the House of Representatives passed its fiscal year 2007 Defense Appropriations bill. Given that the nation is at war and is conducting extensive military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to keep Americans at home safe, it is surprising that the bill reduces the Bush Administration's request for defense funding by $4.1 billion. The Bush Administration has responded negatively to the House action. Its June 20th Statement of Administration Policy on the bill states, "If the President is presented with a final DOD appropriations bill that significantly underfunds the Department of Defense to shift funds to non-security spending, his senior advisors would recommend that he veto that bill." This veto threat is the correct response. Congress should not be allowed to employ such budget trickery, and to shortchange vital defense operations, to boost questionable domestic spending.