WASHINGTON (AP) – House Republicans urging a steep increase in the Pentagon’s budget have received $10 million in campaign contributions over the course of their congressional careers from defense contractors that would benefit from higher levels of military spending.
The 34 GOP lawmakers, all members of the House Armed Services Committee, are pressing for an $18 billion increase in the 2017 budget year, which begins Oct. 1. The push is rooted in their position that the U.S. military has atrophied severely on President Barack Obama’s watch, leading America’s allies as well as adversaries to question the country’s will.
The bid also reflects the message GOP presidential candidates have hammered relentlessly on the campaign trail, where Obama has been cast as a feckless commander in chief. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, last week unveiled his blueprint for a “Reagan-style military buildup” to reverse the damage he said has been done during Obama’s two terms. Cruz didn’t say exactly what his plan would cost.
Critics of boosting the Defense Department’s budget by billions of dollars say Obama hasn’t gutted the armed forces. Instead of pressing for more money, they said, lawmakers should be focused on cutting wasteful programs, trimming bloated bureaucracy, and forcing the Pentagon to manage its money properly.
The Government Accountability Office has identified several areas of the department as “high risk” when it comes to waste and fraud, including weapons purchases and financial management. It’s a jarring verdict considering the military accounts for half of all the U.S. government’s discretionary spending.