In 2011, Congress passed the Budget Control Act, which called for automatic, across-the-board spending cuts in the event that Congress was unable to make targeted reductions on its own. In what has become typical fashion, leaders in Washington failed to reach an agreement, and sequestration went into effect, taking half of the mandatory spending reductions from defense functions.
As a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense (HAC-D), I visit with our military leaders frequently, and I have developed a deep understanding of the challenges facing the Department of Defense (DOD) as a result of sequestration. While I understand that there is a degree of complexity to the budgets for all departments and agencies, the DOD is dealing with a unique set of problems.
From procuring weapons and vehicles on schedule to developing new technologies to stay on the cutting edge, there are numerous moving parts to the DOD's budget that require a great deal of planning. The DOD does its best to anticipate its needs years in advance, so budgets are carefully planned into the future and certain accounts must be utilized in order and on schedule to keep our military running. Unfortunately, sequestration interrupts and even freezes this schedule and undermines our military's ability to function as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Already, the Air Force has grounded 250 planes, and many pilots will continue to fall below their requirements as training hours are cut due to fuel and equipment maintenance costs. The Marines are dedicating all of their money to deployed units, meaning reinforcements at home aren't receiving the training they need. And the Navy reports diminished readiness levels for special operations units. On top of all of this, the Army may be forced to cut active duty personnel by 70,000.
The impact of sequestration on our military is real. We have a duty to ensure that our troops have the equipment and training they need, and it is my hope that Congress will find a way to resolve this issue.
