Political Quotes

“Would the Chair specify the definition of her last statement. The Acting CHAIR. All Members were given authority to insert such material by an order of the House. Executive Summary DEBT, DEFICITS, AND DEFENSE: A WAY FORWARD [Report of the Sustainable Defense Task Force, 11 June 2010] At a time of growing concern over federal deficits, it is essential that all elements of the federal budget be subjected to careful scrutiny. The Pentagon budget should be no exception. As Secretary of Defense Robert Gates noted in a recent speech, paraphrasing President Dwight D. Eisenhower, ``The United States should spend as much as necessary on national defense, but not one penny more.'' This report presents a series of options which, taken together, could save up to $960 billion between 2011 and 2020. The proposals cover the full range of Pentagon expenditures--procurement, research and development, personnel, operations and maintenance, and infrastructure. Some involve changes in our military posture and force structure; others are more limited in scope, focusing on outdated, wasteful, and ineffective systems that have long been the subject of criticism by congressional research agencies and others. Taken together or in part, they could make a significant contribution to any deficit reduction plan. There is no doubt that defense expenditure has contributed significantly to our current fiscal burden. This is true even aside from war costs.…”