Lawmakers watch to see if Pentagon budget needs boost

The military services' efforts to remedy projected fiscal 2004 operational shortfalls could draw bipartisan support from lawmakers seeking to ensure that reconstruction operations in Iraq and Afghanistan remain on track: House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., will keep tabs on the services' fiscal 2004 funding woes, although for the moment he accepts Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's assertion that ample funding exists to sustain operations well into the next fiscal year, according to an aide.

"The congressman does take the [Defense secretary] at his word. At this time there does not appear to be an operational shortfall looming on the horizon," the spokesman said. "However, the congressman is ready to consider whatever is necessary to ensure that operations continue in Iraq, and will be listening to whatever communications they make, both official and unofficial."

House Armed Services Chairman Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., also will monitor the services' anticipated funding gaps, according to his spokesman.

"The committee will be looking into the matter as we continue our budget hearings," he said.

Over the past month, Democrats have accused the White House of allowing election-year politics to delay a planned fiscal 2005 wartime spending package until early next year. Many are concerned that the services will not have enough money to get by between Sept. 30 and January 2005, when the Bush administration will deliver an estimated $50 billion supplemental request to Congress. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., said he sees the services' potential funding shortages as a bipartisan concern.

Since President Bush's fiscal 2005 budget was submitted to lawmakers in February, the military's top uniformed officials say bridging the gap between the end of fiscal 2004 and the fiscal 2005 supplemental will be a challenge.

But during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February, they expressed confidence in their ability to pay the bills through Sept. 30. Privately, however, the services are scraping for more funds to cover fiscal 2004 costs not anticipated when they drafted their supplemental spending needs last summer. The Army may be running behind as much as $3 billion, the Navy $1.6 billion, and the Air Force $375.2 million, according to Pentagon officials.

Reed said funding could be included in the regular fiscal 2005 appropriation, or the administration could submit all, or a portion of, its fiscal 2005 supplemental request at the beginning of the new fiscal year.