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28 February 2001
Bush Budget Seeks to Acquire Ballistic Missile Defense System
by
Merle D. Kellerhals, Jr.
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington -- President Bush said in his fiscal year 2002 budget that
he wants to employ the power of advanced U.S. technology to change the
national defense architecture in order to combat emerging global
threats in a new century.
The Bush administration's proposed fiscal year (FY) 2002 budget
provides an increase of $14,200 million, or 4.8 percent, in defense
spending above the current level to $310,500 million. The defense
spending proposal is contained in the Bush administration's $1,900,000
million budget request sent to the U.S. Congress February 28.
However, Bush said in his budget request that the outcome of a major
national security strategy review currently being conducted by Defense
Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld will likely determine final 2002 funding
levels.
Rumsfeld is conducting a review of the Defense Department with the
goal of developing a new national security strategy, force structure,
and budget priorities that will guide future decisions on military
spending. The last revision of the national security strategy was
developed a decade ago and introduced the Regional Defense Strategy as
a means to transition to the post-Cold War period. That strategy has
largely remained unaltered. According to published news reports the
final defense budget will be released in April and will reflect
changes in spending.
A key spending proposal in the Pentagon's budget is an increase in
defense research and development appropriations by $20,000 million
between 2002 and 2006. In the coming fiscal year that begins October
1, Bush is seeking a $2,600 million initiative for missile defense
alternatives and new technologies to support his planned
transformation of U.S. military capabilities.
The research and development spending will focus on leap-ahead
technologies for new weapons and intelligence systems; improvements to
the laboratory and test range infrastructure; technologies aimed at
reducing the costs of weapons and intelligence systems; efforts that
are focused on countering unconventional threats to national security;
and funding to continue development of a missile defense program.
Bush said that acquiring a ballistic missile defense system is
"America's most pressing national security challenge. Outmoded arms
control treaties must not compromise America's security."
The threats of the Cold War decades have been replaced "by a world in
which threats come from rogue states bent on acquiring weapons of mass
destruction and terrorism -- threats as unconventional as they are
unpredictable," Bush said in his budget plan.
The Bush defense proposal also includes $1,400 million for military
compensation to improve quality of life for military personnel, and
$400 million to improve the quality of housing for military personnel
and their families.
The president's plan also calls for closing more military bases around
the United States, saying the Pentagon budget is carrying a 23 percent
excess in estimated base capacity. The U.S. military base system was
actually developed for the Cold War years and reflects that strategy
in location and size.
"It is clear that new rounds of base closures will be necessary to
shape the military more efficiently," Bush said. From 1988 to 1995 the
Pentagon closed 97 major military bases and facilities.
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