Defense Secretary James Mattis has urged Congress to approve President Donald Trump’s request for an additional $30 billion to fund defense programs, DoD News reported Wednesday.
Lisa Ferdinando writes Mattis told the Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee at a meeting held Wednesday the budget request is the first step in a three-part, multi-year effort to increase defense readiness.
Trump requested for $24.9 billion in supplementary military spending and another $5 billion to finance overseas contingency operations for the remainder of fiscal 2017.
“We base this request on a realistic appreciation of the capacity we need to fight and win on the battlefield,” said Mattis, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2017.
He added that Congress can help the Defense Department build a “more lethal” force through the approval of additional funds and regular budgets.
Mattis told the subcommittee that global security challenges require DoD to maintain a secure nuclear deterrent and a force that can counter all threats, DoD News stated.
He testified at the defense budget and readiness hearing with Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
