June 13, 1979
Page 14559
Mr. MUSKIE. I thank my good friend from Virginia.
Mr. President, I want to speak today in support of the defense authorization bill and offer my views on how it relates to the national defense targets the Congress adopted in the first budget resolution for fiscal year 1980.
First, I extend my appreciation to the distinguished Senator from Mississippi, Mr. STENNIS, for the contribution he has made in shaping this important legislation. This bill is yet another demonstration of his ability to work in a diligent manner toward providing adequately for our Nation's defense and economic well being. He has proved his interest in insuring the success of the congressional budget process. I sincerely thank him again for his support of our efforts to seek fiscal restraint by the Congress.
Mr. President, S. 428 authorizes military procurement, research and development, and civil defense funding of approximately $40 billion in budget authority. Fiscal year 1980 outlay estimates associated with these items are roughly $10.5 billion.
In addition to this authorization, the bill provides active duty and reserve military personnel and Department of Defense civilian personnel strength levels and general provisions for other miscellaneous defense purposes. The impact of fully funding these personnel levels and general provisions would result in budget authority of $50 billion and fiscal year 1980 outlays of approximately $48.7 billion.
The combination of the program authorizations and the proposed personnel levels and provisions results in budget authority of $90.1 billion or approximately $200 million under the administration's budget request. Fiscal year 1980 outlays amount to approximately $59.2 billion or $100 million less than the administration's request.
Mr. President, the major concern of the Senate Budget Committee conferees during the recent conference on the first budget resolution was to provide for a level of defense funding that would allow the United States to meet its NATO pledge to aim for real growth in defense spending in the range of 3 percent for research and development and procurement activities over the next several years.
The first budget resolution provides for $136.6 billion in budget authority and $124.2 billion in outlays for national defense. The funds available within these budget targets have been estimated by the Budget Committee staff to allow for 3.5 percent real growth over projected fiscal year 1979 totals for the major investment categories of research and development and procurement.
These are the activities provided by this bill and the bill's totals fit with the desires of the Budget Committee conferees that investment spending grow in real terms in accordance with our NATO commitment and with the need to insure an adequate fighting capability for our forces throughout the remainder of this century.
Mr. President, S. 428 as reported fits within the national defense targets set by Congress in the first budget resolution, assuming that congressional action anticipated during development of the budget resolution does take place. These assumptions include 25 percent absorption of the upcoming October Federal pay raise, efficiencies in defense operating activities, and small reductions in authorizations and other appropriated areas of the function. I, therefore, support the bill.
Before proceeding, I would like to provide my colleagues with some preliminary estimates on the relationship of this bill to the national defense functional targets and the types of reductions that must occur elsewhere in the national defense area in order that we keep within the targets. I ask unanimous consent that a table displaying the figures be printed at this point in the RECORD.
There being no objection, the table was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, as follows:
[Table omitted]
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, the Senate Armed Services Committee's bill fits within the budget resolution. However, I am troubled by the defense authorization bill reported by the House. This is a much more costly piece of legislation than the Senate-reported bill. It is $2.4 billion in budget authority over the Senate bill we are now considering. The outlay difference in the two bills is approximately $300 million.
Mr. President, $2.4 billion in budget authority is a significant amount, and Senator STENNIS and the other Senate conferees for this authorization bill face a most difficult task in arriving at a conference agreement that does not exert undue pressure on the national defense targets in the first budget resolution. For this reason, it is essential that the conference agreement on this bill be near the Senate totals. A second reason is that the probable outyear ramifications of the Senate's bill appear to be in agreement with the fiscal year 1981 and 1982 totals included in the budget resolution. These totals provide for balanced budgets in each of the 2 years. If the defense authorization bill is returned to the Senate close to the House totals, the fiscal year 1981 and 1982 balanced budget totals could be threatened.
Mr. President, in concluding my remarks, I should like to reiterate my sincere appreciation to the distinguished chairman, Mr. STENNIS. I support this defense authorization bill, of course reserving the right to support floor amendments which I deem necessary and desirable. I shall watch with great interest the forthcoming conference on the House and Senate defense authorization bills. Senator STENNIS has my best wishes and encouragement to come back from conference with an agreement that is consistent with the congressional budget resolution targets for national defense.
It is a pleasure to endorse the bill before us.