June 13, 2013

Dear Representative:

As you consider the H.R. 1960, Fiscal Year 2014 National Defense Authorization Act, Taxpayers for Common Sense urges you to support several common sense amendments that would help rein in wasteful spending at the Pentagon. These amendments would help bring the total level of spending in line with what is already agreed to in current law. Instead of dealing responsibly with the budget constraints that Congress has already agreed to, H.R. 1960 sets the spending level at $552 billion, which is $54 billion more than the existing caps. In addition, the Overseas Contingency Operations account is increased by more than $5 billion over the request at a time when our nation is scaling back overseas operations. Fantasy budgeting may feel good initially, but it creates fiscal problems when it runs into budget realities.

TCS urges you to support the following amendments:

Blumenauer-Mulvaney-Bentivolio bipartisan amendment (#2) to reduce from 11 to 10 the statutory requirement for the number of operational carriers that the U.S. Navy must have. This does not mandate the reduction, just gives the Navy greater flexibility from the arbitrary legislated standard.

Polis amendment (#23) to reduce funding for Missile Field 1 at Fort Greely, Alaska and require successful interceptor tests before funds can be used for advanced procurement of ground based interceptors and refurbishment of Missile Field 1.

McCollum amendment (#25) to prohibit any funds authorized in the bill from being used to sponsor Army National Guard professional wrestling sports sponsorships or motor sports sponsorships. With the military meeting recruitment targets it is clear that these expensive ego advertisements are unnecessary.

Nolan amendment (#32) to reduce total funds authorized in the bill by $60 billion, which is roughly the amount the bill exceeds the funding level already established in law.

Coffman-Griffith-Polis-Blumenauer bipartisan amendment (#37) to end the permanent basing of the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) in Vilseck, Germany and return the Brigade Combat Team currently stationed in Europe to the United States, without permanent replacement, leaving one Brigade Combat Team and one Combat Aviation Brigade—nothing in this amendment should be construed as directing the removal of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, nor certain quick-reaction forces. The nation’s fiscal situation coupled with far different security situation demands increased burden sharing by our allies.

Van Hollen-Moran-Mulvaney bipartisan amendment (#39) to eliminate the $5 billion the bill adds to the request for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). With overseas operations scaling down, it makes little sense to actually increase OCO.

TCS urges you to support other amendments that would reduce funding in a fiscally responsible manner. We are disappointed that the Rules Committee would not allow several other pro-taxpayer amendments be considered. These include amendments that would cut funding for weapons systems the Pentagon doesn’t want (M1 Abrams upgrades), increase burden sharing by our allies (requiring NATO allies to pay half the cost of modernizing the B61), reduce the number of General and Flag officers to the level directed by then-Defense Secretary Gates, or limit the funding for the Littoral Combat Ship until the procurement has feasible and fully-defined requirements, independent cost-estimates, and a realistic schedule.

As Defense Secretary Hagel has indicated our defense spending has to be resource informed. With the nation facing a $16.8 trillion debt, we cannot afford our profligate Pentagon spending ways of the past. We urge you to adopt these and other responsible spending amendments in an attempt to budgetarily right-size this bill. For more information please contact me or Steve Ellis at 202-546-8500 or steve[at]taxpayer.net

Sincerely,

Ryan Alexander
President