Rocky C
06-16-10, 03:01 PM
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 16, 2010 15:05:52 EDT
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Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that lawmakers should not underestimate the Obama administration’s resolve to eliminate wasteful spending, and he renewed a vow to recommend a veto of defense legislation if key programs are not dropped.
“Let me be very clear,” Gates said in testimony before the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee. “I will continue to strongly recommend that the president veto any legislation that sustains the continuations of the C-17 or the F-35 extra engine.”
Some lawmakers have expressed doubts that President Obama would veto the defense budget over these two issues, but Gates said it would be wrong to underestimate the administration’s resolve.
“Let me be explicit,” he said. “It would be a mistake to believe the president would accept these unneeded programs simply because the authorization or appropriations legislation includes provisions important to him and this administration.”
Gates is referring to a belief that Obama would not veto legislation that includes provisions that he strongly supports, such as the repeal of the military’s ban on allowing gays to serve openly.
Gates also said he is “increasingly concerned” that Congress has yet to pass a supplemental war funding bill to pay for ongoing operations. “If the supplemental is not enacted by the July 4th congressional recess, we will have to begin planning to curtail defense operations,” he said, in a carefully worded threat that speaks of preparing for cuts but not necessarily making them.
If Congress doesn’t pass the war funding bill by early July, “we begin to have to do stupid things,” Gates said.
Gates said the Navy and Marine Corps will have budget problems first, running out of operating funds in July.
The Army will dip into peacetime operating funds so it can continue with supplemental war funding until August, Gates said. At that point, it also will run out of base budget money and could be forced to furlough civilian employees and “have people on active duty we cannot pay.”
While that sounds like service members would miss checks, that is not what really happens. Even if the military runs out of money, essential national security programs — including paying the troops — is allowed under what is known as the Feed and Forage Act.
Posted : Wednesday Jun 16, 2010 15:05:52 EDT
<FORM id=hidden></FORM>
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday that lawmakers should not underestimate the Obama administration’s resolve to eliminate wasteful spending, and he renewed a vow to recommend a veto of defense legislation if key programs are not dropped.
“Let me be very clear,” Gates said in testimony before the Senate defense appropriations subcommittee. “I will continue to strongly recommend that the president veto any legislation that sustains the continuations of the C-17 or the F-35 extra engine.”
Some lawmakers have expressed doubts that President Obama would veto the defense budget over these two issues, but Gates said it would be wrong to underestimate the administration’s resolve.
“Let me be explicit,” he said. “It would be a mistake to believe the president would accept these unneeded programs simply because the authorization or appropriations legislation includes provisions important to him and this administration.”
Gates is referring to a belief that Obama would not veto legislation that includes provisions that he strongly supports, such as the repeal of the military’s ban on allowing gays to serve openly.
Gates also said he is “increasingly concerned” that Congress has yet to pass a supplemental war funding bill to pay for ongoing operations. “If the supplemental is not enacted by the July 4th congressional recess, we will have to begin planning to curtail defense operations,” he said, in a carefully worded threat that speaks of preparing for cuts but not necessarily making them.
If Congress doesn’t pass the war funding bill by early July, “we begin to have to do stupid things,” Gates said.
Gates said the Navy and Marine Corps will have budget problems first, running out of operating funds in July.
The Army will dip into peacetime operating funds so it can continue with supplemental war funding until August, Gates said. At that point, it also will run out of base budget money and could be forced to furlough civilian employees and “have people on active duty we cannot pay.”
While that sounds like service members would miss checks, that is not what really happens. Even if the military runs out of money, essential national security programs — including paying the troops — is allowed under what is known as the Feed and Forage Act.