McCain, Thornberry slam plan to cut 40,000 troops

By Tara Copp

Published July 8, 2015 8:59pm ET

McCain, Thornberry slam plan to cut 40,000 troops — Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, stand to attention while being introduced during a homecoming ceremony in the Natcher Physical Fitness Center on Fort Knox in the early morning hours of Wednesday, November 20, 2013 in Fort Knox, Ky. (Photo by Luke Sharrett/Getty images) | Luke Sharrett

Two Capitol Hill committee chairmen are criticizing an Army plan to cut 40,000 soldiers as the Pentagon tries to meet uncertain and limited defense budgets.

“People who believe the world is safer, that we can do with less defense spending and 40,000 fewer Soldiers, will take this as good news. I am not one of those people,” House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said in a statement Wednesday.