Dysfunctional Congress could leave soldiers behind

Excerpt

To arm America’s soldiers with the capabilities they will need to confront China’s increasingly formidable military, the U.S. Army is undertaking its most comprehensive and ambitious reform in decades. Sadly, however, congressional dysfunction now presents a major obstacle to ensuring that America’s soldiers can prevail in a future great power conflict.

Each year, the Army depends on Congress to pass annual defense authorization and appropriation bills before the new fiscal year begins on October 1. With a welcome exception last year, meeting this deadline has become increasingly rare. This year, Congress ignored the Army’s budget request and once again turned to a legislative tool known as a continuing resolution (CR), which provides temporary funding. A CR essentially cuts and pastes last year’s budget into a short-term law, which handcuffs reformers by denying them the authority and funding to initiate new projects.

The current CR expires on November 21.

Despite the laudable efforts of some members of Congress who want to keep faith with service members, Congress may extend it to February or even to the end of the full fiscal year. Such a move would represent a self-inflicted wound to national security.