House Armed Services Republicans urge Biden to increase 2023 defense budget amid 'unprecedented threats'

By Brooke Singman

April 4, 2022

Fox News

 

EXCLUSIVE: Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee are urging President Biden to increase the national defense budget for 2023, warning that the country "cannot afford to shortchange" national security amid "unprecedented threats" facing the United States.

 

President Biden, last week, rolled out his $5.8 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2023, and touted his defense proposal as "one of the largest investments in our national security in history."

 

But all 28 Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee, led by the ranking member, Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., are calling for an increased budget to ensure "sufficient defense topline."

 

"Our nation faces unprecedented threats from China and Russia and it’s unconscionable that President Biden has chosen to once again shortchange our warfighters," Rogers told Fox News Monday. "By failing to account for inflation, President Biden’s budget request would leave America weakened and vulnerable."

 

With regard to China, Rogers said, "Xi Jinping is watching as President Biden continues to falter."

 

"In fact, while China has the largest navy in the world and is rapidly expanding their nuclear arsenal – President Biden’s budget request would decommission 24 U.S. Navy ships and cut funding for our own nuclear capabilities," Rogers said.

 

He added: "Luckily, Congress calls the shots when it comes to funding our military."

 

Rogers touted his GOP colleagues, saying he is "glad" that "all Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee are dedicated to fighting for a higher defense topline in the FY23 NDAA that accounts for inflation and ensures our warfighters have what they need to succeed in combat."

 

House Republican Caucus Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., who also sits on the committee, said the president’s budget "once again cuts the size of our military in the heart of a national security crisis."

 

"Our servicemen and women deserve better from their commander in chief. Cutting our military and defense spending signals weakness to our foreign adversaries and further threatens our national security," Stefanik said.

 

And Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., warned that Biden’s proposed defense budget is "at least a 4% cut in real dollar spending power," after adjusting "for the ‘official’ 8% inflation rate."

 

"Hence, Biden’s proposed defense cuts encourage America’s geopolitical foes to engage in nefarious military attacks around the world, thereby risking war," Brooks said. "Biden’s poorly thought out real dollar defense spending cuts must be stopped."

 

The unified calls from Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee come after Rogers and Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, led a number of their Republican members in urging Biden to increase the defense budget by 5% over the rate of inflation.

 

The calls also come ahead of testimony this week from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley before the House Armed Services Committee.

 

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