Abercrombie: "2007 Emergency War Funding Will Not Be Anther Blank Check

“Supplemental budget requests have routinely been misused by this Administration,” Abercrombie told a Washington, DC conference on defense technology.  “They are supposed to cover unforeseeable expenses or critical funding for war-related expenditures.  But this 2007 supplemental contains billions of dollars for purchases that are far from emergencies.”

For example, the Air Force wants to replace two $20 million fighter aircraft with $200-million Joint Strike Fighters that won’t be operational for another three years.

“These are not aircraft that are critically needed in combat today.  Congress has already given other weapons systems a more urgent priority,” said Abercrombie.

$14 billion are requested for new armored vehicles, including 58 M-1 Abrams tanks, 168 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, 111 Stryker light armored vehicles, 121 M113 armored personnel carriers and 22 M88 recovery vehicles. 

“If these were all replacements for vehicles damaged or worn out in combat, putting them in an emergency spending bill would be absolutely justified,” Abercrombie said. “There’s no doubt the Army needs the equipment, and the Administration and Congress will have to make a multi-billion dollar commitment for rebuilding the force, but this request goes far beyond replacing combat losses.”

The 2007 supplemental funding request also includes $131 million to buy 90,880 pairs of night vision goggles. 

“It isn’t a question of whether the night vision goggles are needed.  Are they an emergency item?” Abercrombie asked.  “Millions and millions of dollars are included in supplemental requests that should be spelled out, prioritized and justified in the regular defense budget process instead of hidden behind an emergency label.”

Because they’re characterized as emergency legislation, supplemental requests do not get the same scrutiny and analysis as the annual Defense Authorization and Defense Appropriation bills.  In fact, for the last five years, there has been heavy pressure from the Administration and Republican majority in Congress to approve them quickly and without argument.  Most federal budget experts agree that emergency requests have also been used because they don’t count against the Congressional budget ceiling.  Thus, they aren’t counted in government estimates of annual deficits, although they still add to the national debt. 

“The Bush Administration is already saying that if they don’t get everything they want and Congress adds requirements for troop readiness or equipment, our men and women in combat will run out of bullets or be left stranded in the desert.” Abercrombie said. “That is baloney.  Our first priority is supporting the troops. Their basic equipment needs are fully covered in annual Defense Authorization and Appropriation bills. These supplemental budgets are supposed to pay for the additional costs for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, such as the $5 to 6 billion we’re told the ‘surge’ will cost.”

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