Congressman Barney Frank
Representing Massachusetts' 4th District

Frank Releases Letter Asking House Members to Join Efforts
to Restrict Excessive Military Spending
August 16, 2008

Congressman Barney Frank today announced that he and Congressman Ron Paul are circulating a letter to Members of the House asking that they join in telling the President’s Commission on Deficit Reduction that the military budget must be given the same tough scrutiny as any other aspect of federal spending.  Along with the letter (attached), he released the following statement:

“I am encouraged that there is a growing recognition of the need to end the policy of allowing the military budget to expand far beyond our legitimate security needs and to escape requirements of efficiency that we should be imposing everywhere on our spending. Robert Gates has shown more understanding of this need than any previous Secretary of Defense in my memory, and the editorial boards of major papers are calling a significant re-evaluation of our military budget.”

“I am especially pleased by the report that Representatives Paul, Walter Jones and I, Senator Ron Wyden asked to be prepared illustrating how we can cut nearly $1 trillion from planned Pentagon spending over the next ten years without in any way jeopardizing America’s legitimate national security needs has become a part of the debate.”

“I do want to make clear that the one point in which I and my colleagues differ with the Task Force -- the proposal for reducing healthcare benefits for veterans, especially with the consequences of the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am very proud that the Congress in the last few years has increased veterans health benefits.” 

“On the other hand, the most important part of the report is that we cannot achieve the necessary spending reductions simply by becoming more efficient in what we do, although that is obviously essential. It is imperative that we also reduce the overreach of America’s military involvement in parts of the world where we have no legitimate security interest and in fact often do more harm than good because of the political reaction to our intervention in difficult situations.  We do not honor the brave men and women of our armed forces when civilian officials insert them into situations where their presence in not appropriate.