Defense Secretary Jim Mattis ran into a buzz saw on Capitol Hill Wednesday in the form of skeptical Democrats, who were incredulous that the Trump administration was asking for $30 billion in supplemental DoD funds for this year, with no consideration how the request would likely trigger mandatory spending limits that could actually reduce money for the Pentagon.
“Did you consult with OMB before this supplemental request was made to Congress?” asked ranking member Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who pointed out that if Congress approved a DoD request that exceeds budget caps set by the 2011 Budget Control Act, the result would be a mandatory reduction in all Pentagon spending.
“If Congress enacted this package tomorrow as is — OMB has submitted it, it would trigger an immediate across-the-board sequestration of military programs,” Durbin said. “Can you believe it? More money triggering a cut. OMB is asking to spend more than the law allows for defense, but it didn’t ask for us to change this underlying mendacious sequestration law.”
Testifying before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on defense, Mattis said while he understands the implications, he had no suggestions of how the spending caps could be circumvented.
“I am aware of it, senator. It’s not something I can give you a solution for from my position in the executive branch at the Department of Defense,” Mattis said, “but I share your assessment, I take no issue with how you characterized it.”
“I don’t blame you for this,” Durbin said, “This is OMB’s job, and I don’t know why they are playing this game with us.”
The Trump administration supplemental budget request for fiscal 2017 includes $5 billion in additional funds for the war against ISIS, which is not subject to spending limits, and $25 billion for the base budget, which does fall under the caps.
The White House says the increase to Defense Department portion of the supplemental would be offset by $18 billion in cuts to unspecified domestic programs.
That raised concerns of another Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who is also the ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Reed said without knowing what domestic programs are on the chopping block, it is difficult for senators to support the request.
But Reed agreed the biggest obstacle is the failure of the request to account for congressionally imposed spending caps that, despite the Republican control of Congress, can be raised only with bipartisan support.
The same problem applies to the $54 billion increase in national defense spending President Trump is proposing for fiscal 2018.
