Posts Tagged ‘Congress/DOD’

Although military personnel would be exempt from automatic spending cuts in fiscal 2013, the Pentagon would need to significantly trim its end strength and units if sequestration continues through FY 2021, according to the written testimony DOD Comptroller Robert Hale delivered to the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday. President Obama decided to shield military personnel from the cuts next year, but that wouldn’t be possible beyond FY 2013 because it would leave too many units and not enough funds to train and equip them …

Despite the apparent lack of progress in averting automatic spending reductions and the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts, members of the two parties are engaging in behind-the-scenes discussions that could yield at least a short-term solution to the nation’s fiscal predicament. So far, Democrats are expressing greater optimism than Republicans, however, about the prospects for reaching a deal after the November election. At an event Thursday, Sen. Lindsay Graham broached a plan that would stave off the automatic cuts on defense for several months …

The Senate approved a six-month continuing resolution early Saturday morning, leaving one less task on Congress’ to-do list when lawmakers return in seven weeks following the November elections. Since the House had approved the fiscal 2013 stopgap spending bill the previous week, all that is needed to keep the federal government operating through March 27 is President Obama’s signature on the legislation, which is expected shortly …

President Obama on Thursday nominated Frederick Vollrath to be assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management. Vollrath, now the principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for readiness and force management, has been serving as the assistant secretary on an interim basis. The position is responsible for policy in the areas of civilian and military personnel, readiness of the force, and military communities and families …

Most everyone in Washington agrees that the potential for $500 billion in automatic spending reductions through 2021 should be reversed to avoid devastating the military, but with the deadline for addressing the matter more than three months away, the two parties still haven’t sat down to bridge their differences and stop the sequester from going into effect. So, we’re left with a tactical battle of wits, with political calculations over November’s election taking precedence over a legitimate attempt to resolve the looming crisis …

The Senate moved one step closer to taking up a six-month continuing resolution after approving a motion on Thursday to proceed to the fiscal 2013 spending measure. A vote on the spending bill would take place over the weekend unless Senate leaders find a quicker way to bring the continuing resolution to the floor. An attempt by Sen. Rand Paul to debate a bill to cut off aid to Pakistan, Libya and Egypt so far has prevented the chamber from getting to the stopgap earlier …

The Pentagon’s intention to shift funds to partially shield wartime funding from automatic spending reductions set to be imposed in January will result in deeper cuts in the department’s base budget for operations and maintenance, particularly for the Army and Marine Corps, DOD Comptroller Robert Hale told lawmakers Thursday. “For example we would consider imposing disproportionate cuts in funding for facilities sustainment, restoration and modernization except for those funds related to safety and critical missions …

A measure to implement President Obama’s Veterans Jobs Corps initiative was blocked from moving ahead in the Senate on Wednesday after it fell two votes short of overcoming a procedural objection by Republicans over the bill’s budgetary impact. The legislation would have authorized $900 million to employ veterans in conservation, national park and historic preservation projects, and $100 million to hire veterans as police and firefighters. It also would have provided assistance for service members transitioning to civilian life for mentoring and job training …

Pentagon planners crafting the fiscal 2014 budget request ignored the possibility that the department will need to find $500 billion in further savings over the coming nine years, according to a DOD official. “As we have said before, we are not planning for sequestration to take place, and that includes our work on the [FY] ’14 budget,” said DOD spokeswoman Lt. Col. Elizabeth Robbins after the heads of all federal agencies submitted their FY 2014 proposals to OMB …

Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin is considering paring down the committee’s version of the fiscal 2013 defense authorization bill to ensure the chamber could finish debate on the bill if it is brought to the floor during a lame-duck session. Majority Leader Harry Reid has not yet said he would reserve time to debate the authorization bill on the floor, but if the measure is brought up, there likely would be only days — and not weeks — to complete work on it …