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Skriven 2007-03-30 23:31:10 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (070330a) for Fri, 2007 Mar 30
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The Rest of the Story: CRS Memo Acknowledges the Challenges Facing the Army
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For Immediate Release
March 30, 2007

The Rest of the Story: CRS Memo Acknowledges the Challenges Facing the Army
Day 53 And Counting Since The President Submitted Emergency Supplemental
Funding Request

˙˙White House News

˙˙˙˙˙ Setting the Record Straight

"Every day that Congress fails to act on the President's emergency
supplemental funding request causes our military hardship and impacts
readiness. The Democrats are distorting and hiding behind a CRS memo on the
eve of Congress' spring vacation to distract from their failure to send the
President a responsible bill he can sign. It's time for the Democrats to
send the President a bill that funds the troops without forcing retreat,
handcuffing our commanders, or adding billions of dollars in pork
spending."

- White House Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino, 3/30/07

Democrats are using a Congressional Research Service (CRS) memo to attack
the President's call for Congress to pass an emergency supplemental funding
bill he can sign. (Sen. Harry Reid, "Reid: Non-Partisan Budget Experts
Confirm Bush Is Misleading Public On War Funding Needs," Press Release,
3/30/07)

  ū But the CRS memo acknowledges the challenges facing the Army if
    Democrats do not fund the troops: "The Army has suggested that these
    actions would disrupt its programs including facilities repair, depot
    maintenance, and training. In order to ensure that funding is available
    for the later months of the year, the Army may very well decide that it
    must slow down its non-war-related operations before money would run
    out by, for example, limiting facility maintenance and repairs,
    delaying equipment overhauls, restricting travel and meetings, and,
    perhaps, slowing down training." (Congressional Research Service, Memo
    To The Senate Budget Committee, 3/28/07)

Democrats' Delay Of Funding Is Already Impacting Troops and Readiness

Yesterday, the Department of Defense notified Congress that in order to
meet the force protection needs of the Marine Corps and the Army, it is
borrowing funds from other important Marine and Army procurement programs.
This borrowing means using funding intended for medium tactical vehicle
replacement, Humvees and Humvee equipment, the tactical communications
modernization program, and upgrades for other vehicles.

  ū This reprogramming of funds is only necessary because Congress has
    failed to act in a timely manner on the President's emergency funding
    request. This underscores the need to get the President a bill he can
    sign that accomplishes what the troops and military commanders need.

      ū Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace: After
        mid-April, "the Army has told us that they will have to begin
        curtailing some training here at home for Guard, Reserve, and for
        units, which means that the baseline for those units will be
        reduced as far as their capability, and when they're called, it
        will take them longer to be ready and could, over time, delay their
        availability to go back into combat." (Committee On Appropriations,
        Defense Subcommittee, U.S. House Of Representatives, Hearing,
        3/29/07)

      ū Defense Secretary Robert Gates: "This kind of disruption to key
        programs will have a genuinely adverse effect on the readiness of
        the Army and the quality of life for soldiers and their families. I
        urge the Congress to pass the supplemental as quickly as possible."
        (Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Press Briefing, Arlington, VA,
        3/22/07)
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