Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is warning Congress that the Defense Department needs more money than what may be approved in Washington in the next two weeks as part of a budget plan.
In an op-ed in The Washington Post, McConnell said, "Tying one hand behind our backs is no one's idea of restoring the warrior ethos. It is alarming that we don't hear anything from the Pentagon's senior-most civilian leaders about the need to raise the defense budget's topline — or the looming, self-inflicted harm to readiness and lethality that would come from failing to pass new, full-year defense appropriations for the first time in memory."
McConnell said the tone of the spending and budget talks at the Capitol with a March 14 deadline looming don't address the real dollars and cents involved. "To be clear, we're not approaching this cliff — we're careening over it. The fiscal year is almost half over.
"By March 14, the failure to pass full-year defense appropriations last fall will have cost taxpayers $17 billion in defense buying power. In other words, contending with current inflation and new requirements with old funding levels has already meant an effective shortfall of $103 million per day."
Despite intense political posturing, most observers say the chances for a government budget deal in time for the March 14 date are slim.
This will be the final budget plan McConnell may have a chance to vote on. He announced his retirement from the Senate last month.
Jim Mishler ✉
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