DownsizeDC.org is one of 13 organizations from across the political spectrum that sent the following letter to the leaders of the House and Senate Budget Committees…
Letter to Congress on Cuts to Fiscal Year 2016 Pentagon Budget
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
The Honorable Mike Enzi
Chairman
Senate Committee on the Budget
379A Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Tom Price, M.D.
Chairman
House Committee on the Budget
100 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Bernie Sanders
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on the Budget
332 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Chris Van Hollen
Ranking Member
House Committee on the Budget
1707 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members,
As you prepare the Budget Resolution for Fiscal Year 2016, the undersigned groups appreciate your consideration of the following options for savings to comply with caps put in place by the Budget Control Act of 2011. Bringing the Fiscal Year 2016 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, Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) for Fiscal Year 2016 be budgeted at no more than the president’s requested amount of $50.9 billion.
| Program | FY 16 Savings (in millions) |
|---|---|
| Department of Defense | |
| Cancel M1 Abrams Tank Upgrades | $445.50 |
| Cancel or pause Littoral Combat Ship | $1,859.45 |
| Delay Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) until 2025 | $1,250.00 |
| Cancel AH-64 Attack Helicopter Mods | $116.15 |
| Cancel C-130J Cargo aircraft | $2,580.00 |
| Reduce aircraft carriers and air wings by one each | $341.08 |
| Cancel Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD-ICBM modernization) | $75.20 |
| Return Long-Range Standoff to FY 2015 request acquisition schedule | $27.00 |
| Maintain the FY 2015 projected funding for the Missile Defense Agency | $305.00 |
| Cancel the F-35 and buy a mix of F-15E Strike Eagles, F-16s and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets | $4,868.00 |
| Cut service contracting by 15% | $23,500.00 |
| Defense Business Board Moderate Efficiency Savings Scenario | $7,000.00 |
| Department of Energy | |
| Return ALCM warhead LEP (W80-4) to the FY 2015 schedule | $167.00 |
| Cancel domestic uranium enrichment | $100.00 |
| Cancel the Mixed Oxide (MOX) Fuel Fabrication Facility | $345.00 |
| Return Naval Reactors to projection in FY 2015 budget request | $104.00 |
| TOTAL | $43,083.38 |
Sincerely,
Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Center for Foreign and Defense Policy
Center for International Policy
Coalition to Reduce Spending
Council for a Livable World
Downsize DC
Friends Committee on National Legislation
National Priorities Project
Niskanen Center
Taxpayers for Common Sense
Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Win Without War
Women’s Action for New Directions
CC: Members of the House and Senate Budget Committee, Members of the House and Senate Armed Services Committee, and House and Senate Defense and Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittees