Gates Criticizes GOP Defense Budget
The Hill reports:
Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday said the House GOP budget for the Pentagon is "disconnected" from operational realities.
Gates said the Pentagon needs $540 billion for fiscal 2011, less than the $548 billion initially sought by the Obama administration but $14 billion more than what House Republicans are offering in a continuing resolution to fund the government for the rest of the year.
Gates told reporters the current funding level is “disconnected from strategic … and operational realities.” The secretary added a reduction of that size would be “disconnected from the real world.”
Pentagon officials have determined “we can get by with a smaller number” of about $540 billion as compared to the original Obama request, Gates said.
Pentagon Comptroller Robert Hale told reporters a continuing resolution already has caused problems, and would continue to do so.
For instance, the Navy was recently unable to purchase a Virginia-class submarine as planned.
What’s more, the military services have ordered bases to suspend contracting, meaning those facilities are doing monthly deals with suppliers “that are inefficient,” Hale said.
The department cannot launch new programs or increase buy rates of needed combat platforms, he added. And “our people suffer,” Hale said, because projects like building new barracks and housing will have to be put off.
“We need the Congress to enact an appropriations” bill, not a yearlong continuing resolution, the comptroller said.
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