The President’s FY18 request includes $668 billion for national defense, $54 billion above the budget cap in current law, fully offsetting this increase with non-defense reductions.
It also includes $44.1 billion for Homeland Security and $27.7 billion for the Justice department. This includes $2.6 billion in border security infrastructure and technology, $300 million for additional Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) law enforcement personnel, and $1.5 billion for expanded detention and removal of illegal immigrants.
“I have long been a fierce supporter of our military, our veterans, and those who secure our borders and protect our communities. I’m grateful to finally have a President committed to rebuilding our military, defending our borders and securing our great nation.”
“While it is ultimately Congress’ job to pass a budget and fund the government, what the President has set forth is a good framework for us to build on, that seeks to balance the budget and reduce our debt, while making no cuts to Social Security or Medicare. Through his budget proposal released today, President Trump is pursuing priorities we both share: rebuilding our military, supporting our soldiers and their families, securing our border, taking care of our veterans, and supporting those who work day in and day out to keep our communities safe.”
Rep. Carter also joined 140 of his colleagues in signing a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan calling for legislation to end sequestration for national defense. Rep. Carter has long supported the end of this Obama-era policy, and believes without this repeal, our ability to defend our great nation will continue to diminish.
“Pulling national defense from sequestration parameters will allow us to increase funding where our priorities should be focused, keeping America safe and secure,” said Rep. Carter. “While I have long called for our national defense programs to not be subject to sequestration, the past Administration did not and launched an all out assault on our military readiness. We must reverse course and boost funding to provide for the men and women of our military and their families, and deliver the tools they need to be successful in their mission.”
“Along this line, I have introduced legislation that instructs the Secretary of the Army to report to Congress a strategy to update our ground combat systems. We must increase funding to address modernization challenges facing our Army. Our ground combat vehicles are over-matched today, and the longer we wait the longer our soldiers cannot provide adequate deterrence in one the of most threatening national security environments our nation has ever faced. Rogue nations threatening our security have modernized their ground forces, and the tactical over-match that our ground forces have enjoyed for decades is now gone.”
“We must give our Soldiers the capabilities they will need to dominate in future wars and repealing sequestration on national defense is a step in the right direction. Recently I supported a bill to fund the government for the remainder of this fiscal year in which we increased defense funding by $20 billion. This was a great first step, but without lifting the threat of sequestration, we will not be able to fully fund our military and provide for our national security. I look forward to working with the Speaker, my House colleagues, and President Trump to ensure we provide the men and women of our military the tools necessary to keep us safe.”
Rep. Carter represents Texas District 31, which includes Fort Hood, the largest active duty armored military installation in the free world.
