Bordallo on defense spending
Although it will be any day now that the Senate Armed Services Committee will report out its version of the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, it's pretty evident that history will repeat itself.
By KUAM NewsGuam - Although it will be any day now that the Senate Armed Services Committee will report out its version of the Fiscal Year 2013 National Defense Authorization Act, it's pretty evident that history will repeat itself. Like in the 2012 version of the NDAA wherein funding was frozen for the Marines' relocation from Okinawa to Guam, Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo in a statement today said its likely the SASC will do the same when it reports out its version of the 2013 NDAA this week.
Just yesterday the Senate Appropriations Committee gutted $93 million in funding for military construction projects on Guam both related and unrelated to the military buildup. Reacting, Congresswoman Bordallo said it was clear that opposition from Senate Armed Services Committee Members Carl Levin, Jim Webb and John McCain has had a significant impact on the Senate's overall concerns about the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
She added, "The Senate's actions remain inconsistent with Obama Administration's support for the build-up, and that the removal of these funds in Senate legislation sends the wrong signal to our allies in the Asia-Pacific region and will further delay the Department of Defense's ability to begin spending build-up funds on Guam. Further, the full inclusion of these military construction funds for Guam is critical to ensuring that our island is adequately prepared for the arrival of the Marines. "
It's a message Governor Eddie Calvo has been pushing in Okinawa this week. He's said Congress and Tokyo must recognize the "practical and inescapable need to build infrastructure on Guam to support the buildup."
He said, "Because if those commitments are not made then how can the marines move. You can't move Marines when our water, sewer and power and infrastructure is out of there limits."
Key to turning the tide with the Senate is the Department of Defense finally meeting the requirements in the 2012 NDAA such as submitting to Congress an independent assessment of the U.S. force posture in the Asia Pacific Region. "So what I am hopeful for is that on June 29th with the report coming to the House and Senate that when a reconciliation occurs between the House and Senate for defense spending not only for 2013, but also for the hold up of 2011-2012 spending. That it will be a positive report and allow for the Senate to reverse some of the restrictions made on spending of monies," he said.
The Senate Armed Services Committee and its various subcommittees are holding markup hearings on the 2013 NDAA this week but most of them are being held behind closed doors.