New voices have entered the fray, calling for Congress to pass a 2011 spending bill instead of a continuing resolution, which would threaten to disrupt the Defense Departmentâs funding and result in a cut of $23 billion.
Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Ashton Carter urged Congress to pass this fiscal yearâs long-delayed appropriations bill and warned of what the consequences would be.
âEach and every program manager in the department is having to upset carefully calibrated plans, stop or slow activities only to start them later or deferring the commencement of important new programs,â he said at the Aviation Week Defense Technology and Requirements Conference.
It’s also no secret that continuing resolutions are no picnic for government contractors, either.
âThe result is not only delay,â Carter added. âItâs inefficient and uneconomical to proceed in this herky-jerky fashion with our programs and procurements.â
Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said earlier this week the Pentagon needs at least $540 billion so the âmilitary can âproperly carry out its mission, maintain and prepare for the future.â
A continuing resolution through the end of the 2011 fiscal year (Sept. 30) would provide the department with $526 billion.
The other voice urging Congress to pass an appropriations bill may carry even more weight than DoDâs top acquisition chief.
The word from the (very) top — the White House — is that they donât want to see a fiscal-year-long CR, either.
A Feb. 15 statement said the administration âstrongly opposesâ such a measure, with the White House even vowing to veto a CR that “undermines critical priorities or national security through funding levels or restrictions … or curtails the drivers of long-term economic growth and job creation while continuing to burden future generations with deficits,â the statement said.