Political Quotes

“This amendment is simple. It would move the funding authority for the Navy's next submarine--the Ohio class replacement--out of the so-called national sea-based deterrence fund and put it back where it belongs, in the Navy's shipbuilding budget. The amendment would not reduce funding for this project. It is a vote, however, for sound budget process because the sea-based deterrence fund is no different than using any other sleight of hand oversea contingency operations, some sort of slush fund, to get around the cost caps for other programs. This fund was created in the last defense authorization because the Navy could not afford to simultaneously build back up a 300-plus surface fleet and procure the 12 Ohio class replacement nuclear submarines. The problem with the deterrence fund is that it doesn't solve how we pay for all of this. It simply would shift that burden onto the Pentagon in some magic way. That is why the appropriators refused to put money into the account after it was authorized. It doesn't take an accountant to understand, if you buy the same amount of goods but charge them on two different credit cards, your debt will be the same amount. This fund will only lead to increased costs for the program and decrease transparency stability for manufacturers. The increased costs come from untethering the program from the Navy's shipbuilding budget, thereby reducing scrutiny and discipline, the tradeoffs that we expect.…”