Pentagon warns of military crisis from temporary budget cuts

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin warned that a proposed six-month temporary spending bill would severely impact the Defense Department and military operations. In a letter to Congress, he highlighted that the bill would cap spending at 2024 levels, hindering thousands of defense programs and military recruitment efforts, which are just beginning to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Austin emphasized that the military would struggle to compete with adversaries like China while operating under such constraints. The temporary measure would result in over $6 billion in cuts compared to the proposed 2025 budget, diverting funds from essential new priorities and stalling critical research and development projects. Austin noted that more than $4.3 billion in research initiatives and 135 military housing and construction projects worth nearly $10 billion would be delayed. This stagnation could have broader implications for local economies and job markets. Additionally, the bill would not provide funding for legally mandated pay raises for military personnel and civilians, forcing the department to make further cuts. These reductions could affect enlistment bonuses, training for National Guard and Reserve forces, and the operational readiness of active-duty troops. The ongoing reliance on continuing resolutions has been a recurring issue, with 48 such measures enacted over the past 15 years, totaling nearly 1,800 days of budgetary uncertainty. Austin urged Congress to break this cycle of inaction, stressing that the military's ability to respond to emerging threats would be compromised if funding issues persist. The proposed bill, backed by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, faces challenges in the Democratic-controlled Senate, raising concerns about the potential for a government shutdown before the end of the fiscal year on September 30.