J. Exon: “these programs, in the opinion of most senior military leaders, are unnecessary. Even if the Pentagon had the money, the…”

“these programs, in the opinion of most senior military leaders, are unnecessary. Even if the Pentagon had the money, the Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs have said that they would not fund these programs this year, not next year, not in 1999, not in the year 2000, and not in the year 2001. Since both the administration and the Republican majority propose to spend virtually the exact same amount on defense over the next 6 years, funding these programs directly takes away from others that the Pentagon says it needs. Is this a way to budget responsibly for our national security? I suggest not. Is this a way we should spend the taxpayer's hard-earned dollars? I think not. Some of my colleagues will assert that some of these increases are justified because they were included on one of the infamous wish lists that the services circulated on Capitol Hill. But none of these service lists was ever approved by the joint staff, who determines what is necessary. They are the experts. It seems to me that we should realize and recognize that the full coordination with the services and our joint military needs should be kept in mind when we implement our military strategy.”