Tony Thurmond: “The extent of current and future readiness problems were laid out in stark detail Tuesday morning by the Joint Chiefs of…”

“The extent of current and future readiness problems were laid out in stark detail Tuesday morning by the Joint Chiefs of Staff at a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The service Chiefs all testified on the manner in which our current readiness is fraying and the long-term health of the Total Force is in jeopardy. While additional funding in fiscal year 1999 will help address the most pressing short-term concerns, it is imperative that we provide significant continuing increases in funds for modernization above that for additional pay and benefits. The Marine Corps estimates a shortfall of $1.8 billion per year in modernization over the Future Years Defense Program under the current administration projections. The Army estimates an annual $3 to $5 billion per year shortfall during the same period. We must embark on a course of sustained increases in defense investment over the next several years. Mr. President, at the beginning of this Congress, I called for developing a clearer strategic context within which to design an effective, affordable national defense to meet our foreign policy commitments. The need for this clarity has never been greater. With the belated recognition by the President of the need for increased defense resources, we have an opportunity to free the determination of U.S. strategy from being a by-product of the budget process. As I said in February 1997, let us seize the day.…”