Facing the prospect of another stopgap budget measure to fund the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Ash Carter says he will beg Congress to compromise in the interest of national security when he testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday. He also said it’s time for Congress to get off his back.

“Geez, it’s the 25th of September, so the fiscal year ends in a few days, but we don’t have a budget for next year again for the eighth consecutive year,” Carter grumbled during a live interactive broadcast to U.S. troops around the world.