David Norquist, acting deputy defense secretary and 2019 Wash100 Award recipient, said that Congress’ potential restrictions on the Department of Defense’s reprogramming authority for funding will pose “significant challenges†and obstruct efforts to address evolving needs, Defense News reported Thursday.
Norquist told audiences at the Center for a New American Security that the Pentagon seeks to expand the U.S. Navy’s fleet to 355 ships. He hopes the department will get a $750 million budget for fiscal 2020. He added that it’s vital the DoD gets essential missions done and allocates “the right funding in the highest priority areas.â€
Previously, the House Appropriations Committee released its $690.2 million FY20 defense spending bill to reduce the amount of funds the military branches can reprogram from $9.2 billion to $1.5 billion.
