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Sen. Franken introduces "Pay for War" resolution
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| Contributor | Craverguy |
| Last Edited | Craverguy Apr 23, 2011 04:25am |
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| Category | Proposed Legislation |
| Author | Stephanie Condon |
| Media | TV News - Columbia Broadcasting System CBS News |
| News Date | Thursday, April 7, 2011 10:15:00 PM UTC0:0 |
| Description | With troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan and new military operations underway in Libya, Sen. Al Franken says it's time for Congress to more seriously consider how the United States will pay for its wars.
The Democratic senator from Minnesota introduced the "Pay for War" resolution Wednesday to require Congress to offset any costs for military operations that go beyond the Defense Department's base budget. If the resolution were to pass, Congress would have to either raise revenues or cut spending to pay for military activity.
"This is not a symbolic resolution," Franken said on the Senate floor yesterday. "It would return us to the traditional American way of paying for wars, where the Congress and the nation confront-head on-the financial cost, commitment, and sacrifice of going to war."
President Obama has included war spending (referred to as spending for Overseas Contingency Operations) in his budget requests. For instance, in his proposed 2012 budget, he requested $118 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan. Franken, however, said that simply including war spending in a budget that is not balanced doesn't go far enough.
"The momentous decision to go to war deserves a way of paying for those wars that matches the seriousness of that decision," he said. "Overseas Contingency Operations should be paid for."
Franken said his legislation would exempt the spending the president requests for Iraq and Afghanistan in his regular Defense budget, but that any additional spending for those wars would have to be paid for.
He said the situation in Libya added new urgency to his legislation. Both Democrats and Republicans in Congress have expressed concern about the fact that the Obama administration only consulted with a handful of congressional leaders before deciding to lead internationally-backed air strikes in Libya. |
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