Gates pleads for war supplemental ... again
Published: July 14, 2010
Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with Republican leaders on Capitol Hill yesterday in an effort to pick up support for the stalled $33 billion war supplemental budget. If the measure isn't passed by August, he warned, it could mean delays in troops' paychecks and equipment purchases.
The August deadline is at least the third set by the Pentagon in its funding fight with Congress; in February Gates said the money had to be approved by Memorial Day to prevent funding problems within the department, and last month he warned financial officials would have to do "stupid things" if the money weren't made available by July 4.
So far lawmakers seem unmoved by those threats. Democratic leaders in the House have frowned upon another war supplemental since the budget plan was unveiled in February. Republicans have complained about legislative attempts to add more domestic spending to the measure.
Gates has said publicly he's concerned with the delay in funding, but the Pentagon's history on the issue of war supplementals could be working against him. Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld routinely threatened harsh administrative and personnel cuts whenever Congress delayed past war supplementals, but managed to avoid any lasting financial problems just before Congress eventually came through with money.
President Barack Obama promised no more war supplementals when he took office, but if passed the $33 billion request would be the second one under his watch.
UPDATE: At a Pentagon press conference this afternoon, spokesman Geoff Morrell said a defense budget team is developing emergency plans in case Congress doesn't pass supplemental by next recess.
"It may involve asking a lot of hardworking people in this department to report to duty without an ability to pay them, or other extreme measures we would rather avoid, but we will get the job done, including in Iraq and Afghanistan and where else we operate around the world," he said. "But we hope and expect that it won't come to that, and that Congress will act to resolve this matter in the next few weeks."
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