Defense
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Chairman Frelinghuysen, I want to congratulate you on the bipartisan and transparent manner in which you crafted the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Defense bill. In your inaugural year as the Chairman of the Defense Subcommittee, you have continued the strong collegial tradition set by our predecessors. Further, you have been an unrelenting advocate for the oversight responsibilities and constitutional prerogative of the Subcommittee – thus our full Committee – in areas of the Department of Defense (DOD) that have lapsed and ignored the import of Article I, Section 9.
I also want to express my gratitude to Chairman Rogers, Ranking Member Lowey, and the other members of the Subcommittee for their efforts. Finally, I would like to thank the Subcommittee staff and the associate staff for their great work.
I would like to thank Chairmen Frelinghuysen and Rogers, Ranking Member Visclosky, Secretary Hagel, General Dempsey, Undersecretary Hale, and the rest of our distinguished guests.
The global environment is growing increasingly volatile, with new threats emerging every day, exemplified by the current events in the Ukraine, Syria, and Venezuela. In the fiscal year 2015 bill, we need to work together to help the Department of Defense address very serious challenges, from ending major combat operations in Afghanistan, to addressing enduring threats from North Korea and Iran, and flashpoints in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on President Obama's FY 2015 budget request:
"The FY2015 budget and appropriations process offers Congress its best opportunity in years to reject the politics of brinkmanship and crisis management, and instead fulfill our responsibility to invest in our future, create and protect jobs, and support services on which American families rely.
2013 total enacted level: $605.4 billion
2014 total Committee mark: $592.8 billion
2014 Omnibus: $572.6 billion
· $85.2 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), which is $2 billion less than the 2013 enacted level.
· $128.8 billion for Military Personnel, which is $1.3 billion more than the 2013 enacted level.
· $159.9 billion for Operation and Maintenance, which is $13.6 billion less than the 2013 enacted level.
· $92.9 billion for Procurement, which is $7.5 billion less than the 2013 enacted level.
· $63.0 billion for Research and Development, which is $6.9 billion less than the 2013 enacted level.