Sensible Defense Campaign Scorecard

Congress will not finalize the FY 2010 defense budget before tomorrow, the end of the fiscal year. Instead, there will be a thirty day continuing resolution during which time the Senate will complete floor debate and vote on the 2010 defense appropriations bill, and both the defense authorization and appropriations bills will go to conference for reconciliation.

BLSP Action’s Sensible Defense Campaign has had considerable success in influencing the outcome of this year’s defense budgeting exercise. To review the four objectives of our campaign and how we fared:

• Stop funding for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet at 187 planes

This was the most hotly disputed aspect of the FY 2010 budget, and the area where BLSP Action had the greatest influence. We were successful in stopping funding for any additional F-22s. We heard from many Hill staffers that the calls from prominent business leader constituents played a role in influencing senators’ votes. This victory is both tangible and symbolic, and sets a strong precedent for future defense funding debates—it sends a message to defense contractors that the legislators they fund will not always have the last word.

• Cut the ground vehicle portion of the Future Combat Systems

The cuts to the ground vehicle portion of the Future Combat Systems were maintained. This aspect of the defense budget in the end was not hotly contested because of widespread support from the Army for the need to focus on alternatives for ground transport that are better suited to today’s counterinsurgency operations.

• Reduce the budget of the Missile Defense Agency

Funding for the Missile Defense Agency has, like the F-22, become fairly controversial in this funding cycle, especially now that President Barack Obama has announced his plans to table radar-and-interceptor sites planned for the Czech Republic and Poland. Eighty-million dollars were added to the House version of the appropriations bill for the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program; the outcome of this debate is still pending.

• Stop funding for DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class destroyers

Unfortunately, Congress has decided to fund one more DDG-1000 in FY 2010, with the understanding that this will be the last one. But this is basically the same decision that Congress has made for the last few years. At a unit cost of $3.6 billion, “just one more” is not an insignificant expenditure, and Congress should not repeat this decision next year.

The Sensible Defense campaign was a rousing success on the whole and speaks to the strong partnership between the members of Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities and the Center for American Progress.

On a personal note, I will be leaving Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities and the Center for American Progress at the end of the month to return to the field of international development and global health. You will continue to receive monthly newsletters while CAP is recruiting my replacement, and you can continue to reach the Center for American Progress on BLSP related issues at blsp@americanprogress.org. I have enjoyed the opportunity to connect with so many of you and proud to have been part of BLSP. I wish BLSP continued success as you endeavor to accomplish the worthy sensible priorities agenda.

Sincerely,

Krisila Benson
Project Director
Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities Action
Center for American Progress Action Fund

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