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  • 7 months ago
During a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) questioned Assistant Secretary of Defense Dale Marks about President Trump's reconciliation package and the budget impact for military construction.
Transcript
00:00Thank you. Mr. Marks, I want to touch on the plans for reconciliation and try to get some clarity from the department.
00:13There's $900 million of military construction funding requested in the reconciliation measure.
00:21What specific projects is that funding for?
00:24Senator, I appreciate that question. And so as we view this as one bill, we're looking at defensive systems, munitions, munitions procurement, readiness, and quality of life programs are all included in that package.
00:38That is many things and important things. My question is what specific projects will be funded by the $900 million allocation requested for the reconciliation measure as opposed to the remainder of MILCON funding, which the administration wants to move through the normal appropriations process.
01:01What is that $900 million for specifically at the project level?
01:05Senator, let me come back to you at the project level so that I can show you those things, again, new to that, and I don't have that granularity right now.
01:12Okay. Will you please commit to providing the subcommittee with a project-by-project list of which projects are intended to be funded by the $900 million reconciliation portion versus the remainder of the traditional appropriations?
01:28Senator, I'll work with you to try to get the best I can answer to that question, yes.
01:31Well, I appreciate that commitment. Can you think of any reason why, where, as this typically proceeds fiscal year after fiscal year, a subcommittee is provided with a list of projects that constitute the totality of the MILCON budget request, why there would be this nearly billion dollars floating out here that wouldn't have a project-by-project justification?
01:54Senator, I believe it would be there. Again, what we're looking at is the submission of the 26 budget as a standalone, and then the fight-up will come in 27, so we'll have greater granularity looking into the future, but let me get back to you on that, Senator, and I'll do my utmost to answer that for you.
02:10Okay, so just to be clear, Mr. Marks, you're going to follow up with the subcommittee, and you're going to get us a list of those projects that are intended to be funded via the $900 million reconciliation portion of the overall MILCON budget?
02:23We will attempt to do that, yes, Senator.
02:25We'll attempt to do that, okay. I appreciate that, and Mr. Chairman, that concludes my questions.
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