[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 110 (Thursday, June 24, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4782-S4783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 286--URGING THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO WORK WITH 
   CONGRESS TO ENSURE THAT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY HAS SUFFICIENT 
                               RESOURCES

  Mr. SCOTT of Florida (for himself, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. 
Cotton, and Mr. Sullivan) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 286

       Whereas the United States faces numerous national security 
     threats from around the world, including from the People's 
     Republic of China, the Russian Federation, the Islamic 
     Republic of Iran, the Democratic Republic of Korea, and 
     international terrorist and crime networks aided by United 
     States enemies, such as the Republic of Cuba and the 
     Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela;
       Whereas the United States is engaged in a new Cold War with 
     the People's Republic of China, which is--
       (1) building up its military to defeat the United States;
       (2) stealing United States intellectual property and jobs;
       (3) harassing neighboring Asian countries and United States 
     allies and partners;
       (4) committing genocide against the Uyghurs; and
       (5) denying basic rights to the people of Hong Kong;
       Whereas the People's Republic of China is focused on world 
     domination through oppression and communist rule;
       Whereas, according to prominent research institutions, 
     including the Center for Strategic and International Studies 
     and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the 
     Chinese Communist Party has increased its defense spending 
     more than 700 percent during the last decade, with an 
     additional 6.8 percent increase anticipated in the current 
     fiscal year;
       Whereas security and foreign policy experts widely 
     acknowledge that--
       (1) the People's Republic of China is not forthcoming or 
     transparent with information related to military spending; 
     and
       (2) China's military spending may be considerably higher 
     than its reported figures;
       Whereas the National Defense Strategy Commission, in its 
     report, Providing for the Common Defense: The Assessment and 
     Recommendation of the States, recommended, in accordance with 
     the testimony of Secretary Mattis and Chairman Dunford in 
     2017, that ``Congress increase the base defense budget at an 
     average rate of three to five percent above inflation through 
     the Future Years Defense Program and perhaps beyond'';
       Whereas, when considering the inflation crisis he has 
     created, President Biden's proposed defense budget would be 
     insufficient to address--
       (1) new and mounting threats to United States national 
     security and to our allies; and
       (2) the need for sufficient military support to deter our 
     enemies and maintain the most lethal fighting force in the 
     world;

[[Page S4783]]

       Whereas President Biden's proposed budget request includes 
     $715,000,000,000 for the Department of Defense, which is well 
     below the funding needed to keep pace with inflation, while 
     the President's nondefense discretionary spending request 
     represents an increase of almost 20 percent compared to the 
     current fiscal year;
       Whereas, in the Department of Defense's fiscal year 2021 
     Future Years Defense Program, the projected request for the 
     Department of Defense in fiscal year 2022 was targeted at 
     $722,000,000,000, which is $7,000,000,000 higher than 
     President Biden's actual defense budget request for fiscal 
     year 2022;
       Whereas President Biden's defense budget--
       (1) does not provide adequate resources to deter or defeat 
     United States enemies;
       (2) does not even keep up with inflation; and
       (3) does not restore our military readiness that was 
     diminished by budget cuts and the sequester under President 
     Barack Obama, which arbitrarily reduced defense spending 
     across the board;
       Whereas the lack of sufficient funding will require the 
     Department of Defense to choose between--
       (1) providing for United States servicemembers' 
     compensation and benefits;
       (2) providing for United States forces' modernization and 
     readiness needs; and
       (3) any other priorities that the Biden Administration 
     chooses to pursue; and
       Whereas President Biden's level of defense spending--
       (1) harms the United States' long-term strategic 
     competition against the People's Republic of China and other 
     adversaries; and
       (2) weakens our standing on the global stage: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate urges the Biden Administration to 
     work with Congress to ensure that the United States military 
     has all the necessary resources to build and sustain the 
     overwhelming military might that the United States expects 
     and deserves.

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