Defense Secretary Ash Carter has sent a letter to the leaders of House and Senate Armed Services Committees to outline his concerns about funding strategies and certain measures contained in the fiscal 2017 defense policy bill, DoD News reported Thursday.
Terri Moon Cronk writes Carter is concerned about a 2017 National Defense Authorization Act provision that would redirect $18 billion in wartime funds toward manpower and equipment acquisition programs.
Carter said he believes that several other provisions of the bill do not consider the resource environment and proposed force-posture updates while a proposal to separate the Defense Department‘s acquisition, technology and logistics functions could lead to “excessive and unproductive micromanagement” of the department.
“It’s important to note that Secretary Carter’s message to Congress reiterates that if legislation in the current form of either the House or the Senate bill is presented to the president, the secretary will recommend a veto of that legislation,†said Peter Cook, Pentagon press secretary.
