The House Armed Services Committee approved the fiscal year 2011 Defense Authorization Bill last Friday by a vote of 59-0. The $567 billion bill includes a litany of pet programs that were not requested by the administration or the Defense Department, as well as funding to increase the buys for systems that DOD is already purchasing at efficient rates. In some instances, HASC included programs that DOD specifically targeted for termination.

The now yearly struggle between the Defense Department and Congress over funding for unnecessary, unwanted, but politically advantageous programs must end. Both sides of the aisle agree that current trends in defense spending cannot continue, but rhetoric is not enough. Members of Congress must replace platitudes with action.

Click here for senior fellow Lawrence Korb’s full reaction to the HASC markup, as well as his recommendations for trimming unnecessary spending from this year’s Defense Authorization Bill.