This gave rise to the concerns from three high-ranking and powerful U.S. senators who recently visited Guam and questioned the military buildup, saying it’s “unrealistic, unworkable and unaffordable.”
But even earlier, during a March 17 Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support hearing on the proposed Defense Authorization for Fiscal Year 2012 and future years for military construction, environmental and base-closure programs, Chairman Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., questioned DOD’s budget, stating she planned “to be very aggressive in my oversight to make sure these large, costly force posture actions are accompanied by careful, rigorous planning and analysis,” to include the realignment of U.S. forces from Okinawa to Guam.
“Too often when we look back on failed projects and programs, we see that the analysis and decision-making on the front end were deficient,” she said.
Ranking member Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., also reiterated McCaskill’s concerns.
“In our current fiscal crisis…we cannot afford to waste even $1 on a program that does not address a valid military need or shortfall. The national debt is a threat to our national security. In the midst of this fiscal crisis, the spending of every department of the federal government requires scrutiny, including the Department of Defense.”
Ayotte further stated, “The Department of Defense cannot continue to rely on Congress to direct additional spending for the programs that are actual needs.”
In response, Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment Jackalyne Pfannenstiel told the panel members that Japan remained committed to the buildup, and the government of Japan’s FY 2011 request includes financing for critical utilities projects that will support the Marines and boost construction.
McCaskill stated Congress has asked DOD “repeatedly for a master plan, laying out the cost and schedule to the various projects necessary to effect this large realignment.”
The lawmaker said Congress has not received such a plan, “which makes it difficult to determine when certain projects must be funded.”
As an example, McCaskill stated Congress had cut $181 million for two Guam projects in its FY2012 budget, which was also cut in last year’s budget, “because they [DOD] were clearly ahead of need.”
