Cochran seeks balance between security and fiscal discipline
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) on Wednesday used the proposed budget for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to underscore the challenges arising from the need to balance fiscal discipline and the obligation to protect the American people.
Cochran is the vice chairman of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee that conducted a hearing to review the administration’s FY2013 budget proposal for the MDA, the Defense Department agency tasked with overseeing research and development, procurement, military construction, and operation and maintenance for the nation’s missile defense programs.
The proposed FY2013 budget request recommends $7.75 billion for the MDA, which is $669 million below the funding approved by Congress for the agency in the FY2012 Defense Appropriations Bill.
“We know that we have no more important undertaking than to safeguard the security of the citizens of the United States and to help protect our interests around the world. We do need to practice fiscal discipline, but our adversaries continue to develop medium and long-range ballistic missiles that threaten our security, as well as the security of our deployed forces around the world. Our friends and allies are threatened, as well,” Cochran said.
“Our challenge is to explore the technological and fiscal challenges we face, and undertake to do what is thoughtful and necessary to help continue to provide a multi-tiered missile defense system to help protect our interests,” he said.
Cochran questioned MDA Director Lt. Gen. Patrick O’Reilly about the effect that budget constraints would have on missile defense programs intended to help secure U.S. service members and allies. The budget, for example, proposes reducing the number of Aegis ships to be equipped with sea-based ballistic missile defense capabilities through 2018. The Administration’s Phased Adaptive Approach now recommends having BMD capabilities on 36 ships, rather than 43 ships.
The Mississippi Senator also sought input regarding budget cut effects on and the status of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system intended to protect the United States homeland from long-range ballistic attacks. This budget recommends $903 million for development of this system, $258 million below FY2012 funding.
Cochran also asked about progress on the collaborative program between the United States and Israel to develop a multi-level missile defense system for Israel. The budget proposes $99.8 million for this ongoing effort.
The hearing was the latest in a series of Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee hearings on the proposed FY2013 budget for the Department of Defense.
###
Cochran Press
4/20/12
Magnolia Tribune
