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WR 2-19
DEFENSE LEADERS WARN SENATE OF SEQUESTRATION AND BUDGET EFFECTS

Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, military branch leaders urged Senators to avoid sequestration before cuts are set to take effect on March 1. They further warned of utilizing a continuing resolution (CR) in lieu of developing a budget through the appropriate appropriations process. The February 12 hearing, conducted by Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) and Ranking Member James Inhofe (R-Okla.), included testimony from Deputy Secretary of the Department of Defense (DOD) Ashton Carter, United States Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh III, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey, Commandant of the Marine Corps General James Amos, and Chief of the National Guard Bureau General Frank Grass. Leaders of the military branches urged Senators to avoid these fiscal downfalls for the good of the nation. Cuts from sequestration and the use of a CR would limit the ability of the country’s defense system.

Chairman Levin opened the hearing stating, “We can’t look the other way and pretend that there isn’t a huge, looming problem. Sequestration will be a massive problem for the national defense... It is incumbent upon Congress and the President to find a solution – together.” Deputy Secretary Carter, General Welsh, General Odierno, Admiral Greenert, and General Dempsey all commented on the need for furloughs if Congress allowed sequestration to occur. Military branches are calling for civilian hiring freezes, termination of temporary employees, and delaying maintenance projects. With the combination of sequestration and the threat of a CR, DOD is looking at massive cuts in the budget. Deputy Secretary Carter commented in his testimony, “The cumulative effect of adding all these factors is a DOD-wide shortfall of about $35 billion compared to our FY2013 budget request... Greatly adding to our concern is that we would have only about seven months to accommodate these formidable shortfalls. The result in the near-term will be a readiness crisis.”

General Odierno testified the Army will reduce its civil workforce from 272,000 to 255,000 by the end of FY2017. Admiral Greenert commented that a civilian hiring freeze as well as terminating temporary workers would result in the reduction of 3,000 people. General Welsh testified, “We anticipate the loss of twenty-two working days for each civilian Airman between mid-April and September 30, 2013.” He added, “Continuing to sacrifice Air Force readiness jeopardizes the many strategic advantages of airpower, and as the service chief charged with strengthening and advising on America’s Air Force, I cannot stress strongly enough the devastating effects sequestration will have on Air Force readiness.”

This is not the first time these leaders appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Last year, the committee held a hearing regarding sequestration, and these DOD leaders warned of the ramifications. During the most recent hearing, General Dempsey closed his testimony stating, “During posture hearings last year, I testified before this committee that if we fail to step off properly on the budget, we will reduce our options and increase our risk. Our military power will be less credible because it is less sustainable. Now, we are only days away from making that risk a reality. We can do better.”

For more information on the hearing, please visit: www.armed-services.senate.gov.

 

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