Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009

Floor Speech

SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2009 -- (Senate - May 21, 2009)

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Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, I come to the Senate floor today to speak about the National Guard and the need for this Federal Government to better equip our Guard and Reserve units. Senate amendment No. 1143, which I offered to the supplemental appropriations bill, would have done just that. Although the Senate did not adopt this sensible measure, I will continue to seek creative ways to support the National Guard and pursue this responsible and reasonable expenditure.

Simply put, my amendment would have appropriated $2 billion to the National Guard and Reserve equipment account. This money would have come from unobligated funds made available by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The rescissions would not have applied to amounts relating to the Department of Defense, the Department of Homeland Security, Military Construction, or the Veterans Administration.

In recent years, our National Guard and Reserve forces have faced substantial shortfalls in equipment, and the military budget requests have been insufficient to remedy the problem. Even prior to 9/11, our National Guard and Reserve forces had equipment deficiencies. Since 9/11, due to an especially high operational tempo in the Iraqi and Afghan Theaters of Operations, our National Guard and Reserve equipment is being worn out and exhausted more quickly than anticipated. Combat losses are also contributing to shortfalls. Compounding the problem, in order to provide deployable units, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve have had to transfer large quantities of their equipment to deploying units, exacerbating shortages in nondeploying units. Also, some National Guard and Reserve units, at the end of their deployments, have had to leave significant quantities of equipment overseas. If these equipment shortfalls are not remedied, our National Guard and Reserve forces run the risk of further deterioration of readiness levels and capability.

In my estimation, it seemed reasonable to move $2 billion in unobligated stimulus spending to fund necessary procurement of new National Guard and Reserve equipment, which was tragically overlooked during the stimulus debate. The National Guard and Reserve equipment account is a critical resource for funding procurement of new equipment for our National Guard and Reserve forces. This $2 billion increase in equipment funding would have provided much-needed modern equipment for our National Guard and Reserve forces, better enabling them to meet mission and readiness requirements. In addition, this funding, which would have to have been spent by the end of fiscal year 2010, would have provided a stimulative effect to the U.S. economy.

New equipment would also directly benefit our Nation's homeland security missions and disaster response efforts, both of which are frequently assigned to National Guard forces. The Guard's ability to carry out these responsibilities depends on the availability of necessary equipment. Much of the equipment that would otherwise be used in these missions remains deployed overseas and is therefore unavailable.

In closing I want to reiterate my commitment to the National Guard and Reserve. Going forward, I will continue to fight to ensure that our Guard and Reserve units have the resources and equipment necessary to complete their missions. They make every American proud, and I am committed to maintaining a healthy and well-equipped National Guard and Reserve for years to come.

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