Akin Decries Budget That Slashes Defense

Press Release

Akin Decries Budget That Slashes Defense

Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO), ranking member of the House Armed Services, Seapower subcommittee, and long-time supporter of the C-17 and F-18 Super Hornet programs today criticized the President's budget for recklessly ballooning the Federal deficit while degrading military capability. The Administration's budget projection estimates that the President's budget would create a $1.6 trillion deficit this year.

"Again we see a real disconnect of the President's rhetoric with his actual policy ambitions," said Akin. "Recently, the President spoke during his State of the Union Address about the urgency of reducing spending, but in his budget we see a proposed $1.6 trillion deficit."
"Not only does this budget threaten to push our nation farther into the uncharted waters of historic debt and deficit spending, it threatens to shut down the nation's only large airlift line currently in production," said Akin. "The C-17 has and continues to be an integral element of our nation's ability to project force as well as bring humanitarian aid. One need only look to our dependence on the C-17 aircraft during the recent humanitarian missions in Haiti to see how critical this capability is."

"As ranking member of the Seapower subcommittee, I am also concerned that the budget does not address the looming shortfall of fighters for our aircraft carriers," said Akin. "Given the critical role that carriers play in our national defense it is of upmost importance to address the fact that at current trends we are facing a serious shortfall."

"It is difficult to see the logic of a budget that creates skyrocketing debt and fails to address basic needs of our national defense," said Akin. "I remain committed to promoting the F-18 Super Hornet as a reality based solution to the fighter shortfall."

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