Jackson Purchase News

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell expressed his concerns regarding government funding and its impact on national defense in a recent statement. He emphasized the negative effects of government shutdowns, stating, "Government shutdowns mean pain for the American people and political consequences for Congress." McConnell reiterated his commitment to voting against such outcomes.

He highlighted the inadequacy of current funding levels for the Department of Defense, noting that they are even lower than President Biden's previous defense budget request. "As I have warned publicly, a truly clean continuing resolution for defense would do real, immediate, and measurable harm to the U.S. military’s readiness and lethality," McConnell stated.

McConnell acknowledged efforts made by himself and other leaders to mitigate some impacts by securing additional resources beyond the Biden FY24 topline. However, he pointed out that these measures still fall short of addressing the growing needs of the U.S. military.

He also mentioned that delaying full-year appropriations makes future Congressional responsibilities more challenging and costly. According to McConnell, "Under this continuing resolution, governed by an outdated budget topline, more and more of Congress’ authority to set defense spending priorities is crowded out by these rising mandatory and operational costs."

Furthermore, McConnell criticized the reliance on budget reconciliation as insufficient compared to annual appropriations. He called for the Administration to use its FY26 budget request effectively to address growing threats and ensure proper allocation of funds.

McConnell concluded with a call for urgency in rebuilding national defense: "Restoring peace through strength is an urgent priority. And the longer we wait to get serious about it, the more expensive it becomes."