WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), ranking member of Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), released the following statement today on Congressman Paul Ryan's and Senator Patty Murray's two-year budget agreement: 

"The federal government has operated for far too long without a budget and our stagnant economy demands the relief and predictability that such a budget would provide. Congressman Ryan and Sen. Murray were faced with difficult decisions to help get federal spending under control, and I am continuing to review this complex deal and weigh what it will mean for Oklahomans as well as for our men and women in uniform. I appreciate that the Ryan-Murray deal sought to address the steep defense cuts in the Budget Control Act (BCA) that are undermining our national security, but it is unfortunate that these modest reductions were also extended to non-defense spending. The cuts taken to defense remain disproportionate and send a terrible message to our all-volunteer force who have already endured over $487 billion in budget reductions under this Administration and continue to sacrifice in order to fund President Obama’s runaway domestic spending. Furthermore, the budget deal steps outside of its jurisdiction to find savings by targeting military retirees. Our nation’s entitlement programs are ballooning, but instead of addressing this desperate need for reform, the deal would compromise a commission currently reviewing overall military compensation as tasked by the Armed Services Committee. We must do everything that we can to maintain the sacred vow our country has made to those brave servicemembers. In coming days, I will be traveling Oklahoma and seeking my constituents' feedback on this proposal and will also be weighing the needs of our military leaders."  

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