Cuts to Air National Guard

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the proposed fiscal year 2013 cuts to the Air National Guard.

Let me preface my remarks by acknowledging that this country does have a serious debt problem that requires that everybody tighten their belt. It requires, in my view, that we have more revenues so that we can have a sustainable budget where everybody does their share, from taxpayers to every Department in the government. The Air Force has to be included.

But under the Budget Control Act, the proposal that the Air Force has made to address the cuts that would be required there is to single out and focus its knife on the Air National Guard. Now, that would affect 5,100 guardsmen who would lose their position. It would also demobilize scores of aircraft.

Now, as I mentioned, the Air Guard is not by any means entitled to be exempt from the challenge of coming in compliance with the Budget Control Act. Here's the issue: when any Agency--whether it's the Air Force, the Army, whether it is the Department of Education--makes its recommendations to comply with the Budget Control Act, it should be doing so on the basis of what makes most sense to strengthen that Agency, not to weaken it.

The studies that have been done with respect to the Air Force demonstrate that the Air Guard is extraordinarily cost effective. The Air Guard is getting the job done for less money than any other part of that Guard. Obviously, the full Air Force is extremely important. But why in the world would you focus on the Guard when the Guard is doing the job in a highly professional and successful way--widely acknowledged by all studies that have been done--and is doing it for less money?

So, number one, when studies have shown that guardsmen and reservists cost far less than Active Duty members and you're trying to meet budget constraints, don't demobilize the efficient and effective.

Number two, as our force shrinks as a whole, the Air Guard is key to the military term called "reversibility,'' that is, they can serve as a critical operational and strategic reserve should a larger force be needed in the future to meet unforeseen circumstances. That is an essential requirement of military readiness.

Third, the Air Guard can deliver--the Air Guard has delivered. Their record in Afghanistan and Iraq has proven that the force can mobilize quickly and accomplish the mission with great professionalism.

Mr. Speaker, I don't doubt that these are very difficult and challenging choices for the Air Force command to make, and cutting the defense budget always involves very difficult choices. But these cuts that focus as significantly as they do on the Air Guard, which has proven to be efficient and effective, in my view are unwise.

I look forward to working with the House Armed Services Committee and the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to address my concerns.

Source