Senator Ayotte Pushes to Cut Waste in Defense Budget
Press Release
Continuing her efforts to cut wasteful federal spending, U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today expressed support for the Department of Defense's request to reduce the Air Force's strategic airlift aircraft inventory, an action that could save as much as $1.2 billion in taxpayer dollars in the next few years. Senator Ayotte drafted an amendment to the Senate version of the FY 2012 Defense Authorization bill that would reduce the number of C-5 and C-17 aircraft that Congress requires the Air Force to maintain. Her efforts, as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, helped lead to today's subcommittee hearing to investigate the required force level of strategic airlift aircraft mandated by law.
Current federal law sets the Air Force's minimum number of strategic airlift aircraft at 316, but officials say only approximately 300 aircraft are needed to meet strategic airlift capacity requirements. The Defense Department and the Air Force support the removal of the 316 minimum for the strategic airlift aircraft inventory, consistent with the President's FY 2012 budget request. In recent years, Congress added unneeded aircraft through congressional earmarks that were not requested by the Defense Department.
"Congress needs to stop forcing the Pentagon to maintain aircraft that our warfighters say they don't need. Reducing the aircraft floor is a commonsense step that would save taxpayers millions of dollars while ensuring that our military continues to meet strategic airlift requirements," said Senator Ayotte. "I appreciate the Pentagon's efforts to combat wasteful and unnecessary spending within its budget, which will help ensure the most efficient and cost-effective use of taxpayer dollars."
General Raymond Johns, Commander of U.S. Air Mobility Command, testified, "...we completely support the President's authorization request...eliminating the 316 strategic airlift aircraft restriction...the 316 strategic airlift floor requires us to keep unneeded, less capable C-5As in the inventory. Over the FYDP [Future Years Defense Plan] the un-programmed cost to the Air Force to maintain these aircraft could be as much as $1.23 billion."
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