Pentagon Budget Campaign

DEAR CONGRESS: HERE’S HOW YOU SAVE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY WITH PENTAGON CUTS

17 Groups from Across the Political Spectrum Sign Letter Identifying $38.6 Billion in Pentagon Savings

WASHINGTON, DC – Today a coalition of seventeen organizations from across the political spectrum sent a letter to Congress outlining $38.6 billion the Pentagon could save by cutting and/or reforming seven specific programs. The letter demonstrates trans-partisan support for eliminating and reducing spending on unnecessary Pentagon programs. Signers include right-leaning, small-government and taxpayer groups, think tanks and grassroots-member based organizations and left-leaning and pro-peace groups.

“Keeping the Fiscal Year 2017 budget in line with the caps will help the Department of Defense avoid sequestration and save valuable resources in an era of budgetary constraint,” the groups write in a letter delivered to Congress today. “We recommend that in implementing these options, the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account for Fiscal Year 2017 be budgeted at no greater than the president’s requested amount of $59 billion and reject amendments to add additional funds to the OCO account.”

The letter identifies seven specific initiatives to strategically reduce Pentagon spending including by canceling, pausing or seeking alternatives for five weapons systems (totaling $6.5billion in savings); and by pursuing reforms of service contracting practices (over $22.35 billion in savings) and retirement programs (over $22.35 billion in savings).

For the first time, the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Sensor Systems (JLENS) made the list of recommended cuts proposed by the groups. JLENS is a system that became infamous last fall after one of the giant blimps came loose and “wreaked havoc as it floated from Maryland into Pennsylvania,” leaving thousands without power and requiring deployment of two F-16 fighter jets to monitor to prevent further catastrophic damage as it entered civilian airspace. This incident earned JLENS the unflattering nickname of ‘runaway blimp.’ The letter urges Congress to cancel the program, netting over $45 million in savings.

“This letter represents a broad, bipartisan consensus on the need for a reasonable defense budget that provides the U.S. with the strongest possible defense while spending scarce resources wisely, efficiently, and strategically,” said Council for a Livable World’s executive director John Tierney, who previously served nine terms in Congress. “If enacted, the budget adjustments put forth in the letter would lead to more stability, more reliability and more responsible spending of U.S. taxpayer dollars. Congress has a dual obligation to provide for the defense and a strong economy that in turn, as emphasized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is essential to a strong America.”

“We’re always hearing from members of Congress and other politicians that they want to cut waste, fraud and abuse. This is an opportunity to put their money where their mouth is. We’ll see if they take it,” said Danielle Brian, executive director of Project on Government Oversight (POGO).

“With a $19 trillion debt, we simply can’t afford to continue to spend money on programs and systems that don’t advance our highest priorities.  Congress talks about looking for ways to cut spending: this politically diverse group has taken the trouble to provide concrete suggestions. We hope Congress will act on them,” said Ryan Alexander, president of Taxpayers for Common Sense

“Congress has the choice to listen to common sense and stick to fiscally responsible budget caps or they can perpetuate business as usual and buy more expensive and unnecessary weapons systems that only serve to to pad the pockets of lobbyists and contractors and not protect the country,” said David Williams, president of Taxpayers Protection Alliance.” Every tax dollar wasted is a dollar that is not helping to defend the country.”

Read the full text of the letter and full list of signers below:

April 19, 2016

Dear Member of Congress:

As you consider the Pentagon’s budget request for fiscal year 2017, the undersigned groups appreciate your consideration of the following options for savings to comply with the spending caps put in place by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Keeping the Fiscal Year 2017 budget in line with the caps will help the Department of Defense avoid sequestration and save valuable resources in an era of budgetary constraint. We recommend that in implementing these options, the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account for Fiscal Year 2017 be budgeted at no greater than the president’s requested amount of $59 billion and reject amendments to add additional funds to the OCO account.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings¹

Cancel M1 Tank Upgrades                                                     $558.7 million

Over 7,500 M1 tank variants have been built for the U.S. Army and Marines since 1990, more than enough to meet current and projected needs. (Production number from Federation for American Scientists: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m1-intro.htm)

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Cancel or Pause the Littoral Combat Ship                              $1,598.9 million

The LCS is too lightly armored to survive in a combat environment, and has doubled in price relative to initial estimates.  It is an unnecessary drag on the Navy’s shipbuilding budget.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Cancel JLENS                                                                         $45.5 million

The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) is supposed to track flying objects, but tests have found that it cannot consistently track high priority targets or distinguish friendly aircraft from potential threats.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Cancel Air Launched Cruise Missile Follow-On (LRSO)         $315.9 million

The Long Range Standoff (LRSO) Weapon does not add to the United States’ already robust strategic deterrent. Rather, it performs a redundant mission that can be accomplished with the standoff capability of ICBMs or SLBMs, the new penetrating bomber, or the advanced extended range conventional cruise missile.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Reduce service contracting by 15%                                         $22,354.5 million

Service contracting has contributed to an ever-expanding “shadow government” that costs hundreds of millions of dollars annually. A study by the Project On Government Oversight found the average annual contractor billable rate was much more than the average annual full compensation for federal employees performing comparable services Judicious cuts to service contracts would increase efficiency and the effectiveness of the Department of Defense.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Cancel the F-35/Buy a mix of F-15E Strike                             $4,431 million^2[1]
Eagles, F-16s, F/A-18E/F Super Hornets

The Joint Strike Fighter is unaffordable, and testing has shown that it cannot perform as well as the legacy systems it is designed to replace.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Defense Business Board Moderate Efficiency Savings Scenario      $9,170.3 million³

Modest early retirement option and limited backfill of retirements and attrition of the Defense Department’s work force could result in significant savings.

Proposal                                                                                 Potential FY17 Savings

Cancel or Pause the GBSD                                                     $113.9 million

The current fleet of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) will be operational until 2030 due to a $7 billion life extension program now underway. Given uncertainty over future force requirements and deterrence needs, development of the ICBM follow on, or ground based strategic deterrent (GBSD) is premature.

Total: $38.6 billion