Reduce Pentagon Spending in the February 2011 Continuing Resolution

Feb 14, 2011

PDF Version

February 14, 2011

Restrain Excessive Military Spending

Dear Representative________________:

As you consider the Continuing Appropriations Act for FY 2011, HR 1, we, the undersigned organizations, strongly urge you to support amendments that would restrain excessive military spending.

Under the FY 2011 continuing appropriations, most subcommittee allocations would be cut deeply below FY 2010 spending levels, while the defense appropriations allocation would be increased at 1.6% above the FY 2010 base level. This out‐of‐balance approach is fiscally irresponsible.

Without cuts to the Pentagon, even very deep cuts to all other discretionary funding taken together will fall far short of alleviating deficit spending and the rising debt. Further, many analysts are concerned that these domestic program cuts could stymie economic recovery now and harm our ability to compete globally in the years to come. Proposed cuts in international programs would take away many of the security tools that defense experts, including Defense Secretary Gates, say that we need.

In order to reduce deficit spending, the recent bi‐partisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform called for “substantial defense reductions over the next 10 years.” An array of bi‐partisan non‐governmental groups analyzing our debt crisis has also called for reductions in military spending. Most of these groups advocate annual defense spending reductions in the $70‐100 billion range.

Defense leaders also recognize that Pentagon spending restraint is now necessary to contribute to debt reduction efforts. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mullen claims that "our national debt is our biggest national security threat” and he has noted that the past decade’s doubling of the Department of Defense budget has led to undisciplined spending. This is not sustainable. Defense Secretary Gates has said, “We can’t hold ourselves exempt from the belttightening. Neither can we allow ourselves to contribute to the very debt that puts our longterm security at risk.”

Reasonable military spending reductions can and must be made without sacrificing national security or undermining our troops. The Department of Defense must be held accountable to ensuring that tax dollars are not wasted and military spending should be scrutinized to find meaningful reductions in outdated or unworkable programs. We urge you to support any amendment that would restrain excessive military spending.