Non-Uq – Budget Not Tight

Non-Uq – Budget Not Tight

"The American people deserve a government that spends every taxpayer dollar with as much care as taxpayers spend their own dollars -- where money is spent not out of inertia, but only when it contributes to achieving a clear national priority," Emanuel and Orszag write in the memo, according to an early draft. The approach is modeled on a Defense Department program, announced in early May by Secretary Robert M. Gates, aimed at encouraging the military and civilian bureaucracy to find $7 billion to help cover the cost of combat operations. Emanuel said similar programs have also been used successfully by state and local governments. Gates seems to be something of a budget-cutting inspiration for Obama. Less than two weeks ago, the president threatened to veto a defense authorization bill now working its way through Congress unless lawmakers canceled funding to develop an alternative engine for the F-35 warplane, which Gates has deemed unnecessary.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates is on track with his calls to redefine defense spending to meet the 21st century threat environment, Lockheed Martin said. Gates complained to lawmakers this week that the Defense Department budget was focused on non-combat operations. "If you took a broad look at our budget, about 50 percent of our procurement budget is for what I would call long-term modernization programs to deal with near-peer countries," he said. Bob Stevens, chairman and chief executive officer at Lockheed Martin, said the defense secretary was right to refocus military spending. "(Gates) has been relentless and eloquent in demanding a new kind of focus -- from the Department of Defense, the Congress and the defense industry as well, to be extremely rigorous in determining what our requirements really are ... to align our priorities with real world needs ... and to ensure we do everything possible to make every dollar count," he said. Stevens added his company was "disciplined" in setting its priorities to meet its customers need and fulfill its obligation to support national security.

Carter said the Pentagon "has concluded that we cannot support our troops with the capabilities they need" without dramatic cost savings from the $400 billion spent annually on weapons, supplies and services. He said he was looking for what the private sector calls productivity growth, 2 to 3 percent annual cost savings without buying fewer weapons or supplies. The goal is to achieve $100 billion in savings between 2012 and 2016. "In effect, doing more without more," Carter said. "In the real economy, we expect that every year. But in the defense economy, more has been costing more." Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in remarks to the news media, said major weapons programs have been cut and more would probably be cut, but other ways must be found to reduce defense expenditures so the military services can pay salaries, benefits and support troops serving around the world. Defense industry officials said they welcomed Carter's invitation to discuss changes to contracting policies and government requirements that would help lower costs. In a statement issued after the Pentagon meetings, Lockheed Martin Corp. Chief Executive Robert Stevens praised Carter's initiative and promised cooperation. "We see the world through exactly the same lens as Secretary Gates and Dr. Carter, and we intend to be relentless in focusing on program execution, on continuously improving our quality, and on driving affordability into every process and every program," Stevens' statement said. "We've already made changes with the Secretary's goals in mind -- and those changes have resulted in reduced costs in several areas -- but we've just started."

Non-Uq – Budget Not Tight

The DoD is planning on making cost-effective reforms to several factors of its industry
Weinberger 6-4 (Sharon Contributor http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/where-could-pentagon-make-cuts-to-save-100-billion/19504233) NAR

It's not the first time the Defense Department has attempted far-reaching cost-saving measures. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced a similar business overhaul on Sept. 10, 2001, but that plan was quickly overtaken by the 9/11 attacks. This time around, the Pentagon is promising to look across the board, from personnel to health care. Here are a few of the areas likely to be targeted:
A.)Health Care reform
Weinberger 6-4 (Sharon Contributor http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/where-could-pentagon-make-cuts-to-save-100-billion/19504233) NAR

At around $50 billion annually and growing, health care is one of the top drivers of the Pentagon's budget. But cutting it will also be the most contentious. Congress has repeatedly resisted any attempts to cut Tricare, the military health care plan, and in recent years lawmakers have moved to expand the program.
B.)Equipment reformatting
Weinberger 6-4 (Sharon Contributor http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/where-could-pentagon-make-cuts-to-save-100-billion/19504233) NAR

Though the Pentagon has said it would like to see more cuts from its weapons-buying accounts, that's easier said than done. Even when it tries to cut weapons the military says it doesn't want, it has to contend with Congress. For example, the administration is in a standoff with Congress over an alternate engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The cost of the engine, which the Pentagon insists it doesn't need? $3 billion.

C.) Base closing
Weinberger 6-4 (Sharon Contributor http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/where-could-pentagon-make-cuts-to-save-100-billion/19504233) NAR

When the Pentagon wants to shed real estate, it's not as easy as just closing up shop. To close a base in the United States, the administration has go through the Base Realignment and Closure Act, a formal process that can take several years. The last BRAC recommendations were finalized in 2005. The next round hasn't even been scheduled yet and might not happen until 2013.
D.) Personnel cuts
Weinberger 6-4 (Sharon Contributor http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/where-could-pentagon-make-cuts-to-save-100-billion/19504233) NAR

Specifically singled for cuts are personnel, particularly headquarters staff. Of course, some people are already pointing out that the desire to cut staff seems to go directly against the Pentagon's stated goal of "in-sourcing" jobs, meaning hiring government workers to perform jobs that over the past decade have gone to private contractors.

E.) Logistics improvements
Weinberger 6-4 (Sharon Contributor http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/where-could-pentagon-make-cuts-to-save-100-billion/19504233) NAR

Gone is the day of the $600 hammer, at least from congressional hearings. Instead, the military is facing sticker shock for basic supplies, such as water. Although estimates vary, one study pegs the cost of delivering drinking water to soldiers in theater at as high as $11.81 a gallon. No easy solution exists to cut the cost of logistics, but the Pentagon could explore different basing options or supply routes.

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