FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Caroline Tabler<[email protected]> or James Arnold<[email protected]> (202) 224-2353 June 14, 2018
Military, Senate Leaders Call for End of Sequestration
Washington, D.C. — Senator Cotton (R-Arkansas) has submitted an amendment to the FY 2019 National Defense Authorization Act that would eliminate the enforcement of sequestration under the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011.
Key leaders in the Senate and the military have said ending the threat of sequestration and the Budget Control Act is both urgent and critical:
“Returning to BCA caps will halt our ability to modernize, and it will reverse any recent gain in readiness.”
General Mark Milley, Chief of Staff of the Army April 12th, 2018<www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/18-37_04-12-18.pdf>
“The most toxic thing to readiness has been continuing resolutions and the Budget Control Act.”
Admiral John Richardson, Chief of Naval Operations April 19th, 2018<www.armed-services.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/18-42_04-19-18.pdf>
“Senator, I think [that] nothing has done more damage to the United States Air Force than budget uncertainty or sequester over the last decade.”
Heather Wilson, Secretary of the Air Force April 24th, 2018<www.cq.com/doc/congressionaltranscripts-5304904?0>
“If we don’t overturn the Budget Control Act . . . and we fail to resource our requirements in air superiority, then Chinese development will continue apace, and there’ll be a line—there’ll be a timeline—a time at which those lines cross, and we’ll lose our air superiority.”
Admiral Harry Harris, former Commander, United States Pacific Command March 15, 2018<www.cq.com/doc/congressionaltranscripts-5283617?6>
Sequestration is “killing more of our own people in training than our enemies are in combat.”
Senator John McCain, Chairman, Senate Armed Services Committee (R-AZ) September 17, 2017<www.cbsnews.com/news/transcript-sen-john-mccain-on-face-the-nation-sept-17-2017/>
“One thing I cannot defend is how we continue to tie our own hands when it comes to funding the United States military.”
Senator John Cornyn, Senate Majority Whip (R-TX) September 14, 2017<www.washingtonexaminer.com/john-mccain-senate-at-impasse-on-four-defense-bill-amendments>
“[A]dditional challenges loom on the horizon as the Budget Control Act will be back in force for fiscal year F.Y. 2020.”
Senator Jack Reed, Ranking Member, Senate Armed Services Committee (D-RI) April 19, 2018<www.cq.com/doc/congressionaltranscripts-5302843?11>
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