During testimony before the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee this week, DOD leadership unequivocally and strongly confirmed what we all should know by now. The near- and long-term negative impacts of operating under continuing resolutions (CRs), which have become the norm for more than a decade, are wasteful, wide-ranging, severe, and dangerous to the nation’s security. They are also disgraceful, embarrassing, and avoidable.

Continuing resolutions essentially extend last year’s funding and
priorities into the new year to avoid a lapse in appropriations and government
shutdown when Congress can’t reach agreement on regular annual spending.

For fiscal year 2022, this means that when budget changes from fiscal
year 2021, pay raises, authorized increases, and inflation are factored, the
nation is losing as much as an estimated $48 billion in defense buying power under
the continuing resolution.

Members of Congress fully admit that passing annual spending measures is a foundational, constitutional responsibility. Yet, immediately following such acknowledgements, each individual member who speaks on the subject shirks responsibility for the predicament in which they leave the Department of Defense, its workforce, industrial partners, and supporting communities.

Actions are loud. So is inaction.

During the hearing, House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro stated
appreciation for the hearing witnesses’ explanation of the consequences of
Congress’ failures. She then immediately blamed the other party for not
offering a proposal for negotiation that would move appropriations forward.
House Appropriations Ranking Member Kay Granger supported the need for rapid
action to avoid a year-long CR and then outlined the points of contention that
must be negotiated to reach an agreement.

Though today’s session focused on the impacts of a year-long CR, which has never happened for defense, the consequences begin immediately and are difficult to reverse. The following excerpts from testimony convey some of the urgency from a strategic perspective.

• “All the money in the world cannot buy more time; time is irrecoverable, and when you are working to keep pace against well-resourced and focused competitors, time matters.” (Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown)
• “Back here [in the United States], there is little evidence that we have grasped the reality that our security and way of life are being threatened, as we come before you four months into another CR to plead for steady, predictable funding…” (Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Michael Gilday)
• “Continuing Resolutions are backward looking, destabilizing and decelerating. . . . Future budget certainty — adequate, stable and predictable funding — is the single most effective way to maintain critical strategic momentum as we compete with the pacing threat and enables investment in the force design and modernization required to prevent or prevail in future conflicts.” (Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger)
• “. . . the true cost to the Army of CRs is the combination of military pay impacts, delayed programs and construction projects, . . . constrained production rate increases, dollar amount shortfalls, and the vital aspect of lost time.” (Army Vice Chief of Staff GEN. Joseph Martin)
• “Competitors know well that our nation depends on space to enhance all instruments of power in peace or war. An extended continuing resolution would undoubtedly have negative impacts across the entirety of the joint force, but the effects on the Space Force are particularly acute. We have been charged to not only establish a new service, but to ensure our Nation has enduring advantage and security in a new warfighting domain.” (Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond)

The testimony provides many more tactical, operational, and strategic examples, including reference to “emergency” conditions covering programmatic, personnel, training, industrial base, facilities, supply chain, maintenance, and modernization, many of which were already well known.

As the consequences of inaction add up, cascade, compound, and
permeate, what will it take to move Congress and the administration to reach an
agreement and enact appropriations? The hearing highlighted the most
comprehensive compendium yet of CR impacts. Will it matter? There are 37 days
between the hearing date and when the current CR expires. Time will tell.

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