Admin l Friday, March 17, 2017
WASHINGTON, United States – President of the United States, Donald Trump has requested for an additional $30 billion to rebuild the military and fight ISIS.
Trump made the revelation in a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan. “The fiscal 2017 budget amendment provides $24.9 billion in base funds for urgent war fighting readiness and to begin a sustained effort to rebuild the armed forces”, the President said.
“The request seeks to address critical budget shortfalls in personnel, training, maintenance, equipment, munitions, modernization and infrastructure investment. It represents a critical first step in investing in a larger, more ready and more capable military force,” Trump wrote.
The request includes $5.1 billion in overseas contingency operations funds so the department can accelerate the campaign to defeat ISIS and support Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, he said, noting that the request would enable DoD to pursue a comprehensive strategy to end the threat ISIS poses to the United States.
Speaking at a press conference in Pentagon, the fiscal 2017 budget amendment, John P. Roth, performing the duties of undersecretary of defense-comptroller, and Army Lt. Gen. Anthony R. Ierardi, director of force structure, resources and assessment on the Joint Staff said the
Roth said much of the money in the fiscal 2017 request is funding for operations and maintenance.
“We’re asking for additional equipment maintenance funding, additional facilities maintenance, spare parts, additional training events, peacetime flying hours, ship operations, munitions and those kinds of things,” said he told reporters. “This is the essence of what keeps this department running on a day-to-day basis. “It keeps us up and allows us to get ready for whatever the next challenge is.”
The officials said full support from Congress is key to improving warfighter readiness, providing the most capable modern force, and increasing the 2011 Budget Control Act funding cap for defense, he said.
