I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4294 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 28, 2012 Mr. West introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services A BILL To limit the end strength reductions for the regular component of the Army and Marine Corps and to ensure that the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Navy are provided adequate resources in order to meet the National Security Strategy.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Limited End Strength Reduction Act of 2012.

2.

Limitations on end strength reductions for regular component of the Army and Marine Corps

(a)

Findings

Congress makes the following findings: (1)The President’s fiscal year 2013 budget request provides for a reduction in the end strength for the regular and reserve components of the Armed Forces by 31,300 members and anticipates an additional reduction of 92,600 members over the subsequent four years. (2)The pace and size of these proposed reductions are inappropriate while the United States is still engaged in armed conflict in Afghanistan and, if implemented, the reductions will undermine the ability of the Armed Forces to maintain a robust global security posture and increase security risks for the United States. (3)A reduction in force structure and end strength will subject members of the Armed Forces and their families to diminished dwell time, repeated deployments, and excessive stress when the assumptions upon which the reductions are based prove to be incorrect. (b)

Annual certification

Subject to subsections (c) and (d), if the President determines that a reduction in end strength of the regular component of the Army or Marine Corps (or both) is necessary for any of fiscal years 2014 through 2017, the President shall submit to Congress, with the budget request for that fiscal year, a certification that the reduction in end strength, should the assumptions of the National Security Strategy prescribed by the President in the most recent annual national security strategy report under section 108 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404a) prove to be incorrect, will not— (1)undermine the ability of the Armed Forces to meet the requirements of the National Security Strategy; (2)increase security risks for the United States; or (3)compel members of the Armed Forces to endure diminished dwell time, and repeated deployments. (c)

Annual limitation on reductions

(1)

Army

The end strength of the regular component of the Army shall not be reduced by more than 15,000 members during each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017 from the end strength of the regular component of the Army at the end of the preceding fiscal year. (2)

Marine Corps

The end strength of the regular component of the Marine Corps shall not be reduced by more than 5,000 members during each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017 from the end strength of the regular component of the Marine Corps at the end of the preceding fiscal year. (d)

Budgeting requirement

The budget for the Department of Defense for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2017 as submitted to Congress— (1)shall include amounts for maintaining an end strength of the regular component of the Army and the Marine Corps sufficient to comply with the active duty end strengths prescribed in section 691(b) of title 10, United States Code; and (2)shall not rely on any emergency, supplemental, or overseas contingency operations funding.