DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE HEARINGS BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS EIGHTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION SUBCOMMITTEE ON DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS HARRY R. SHEPPARD, California GERALD R. FORD, JR., Michigan HAROLD C. OSTERTAG, New York GLENARD P. LIPSCOMB, California WILLIAM E. MINSHALL, Ohio R. L. MICHAELS and GEORGE E. EVANS, Staff Assistants to the Subcommittee COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri, Chairman GEORGE H. MAHON, Texas EDWARD P. BOLAND, Massachusetts JOSEPH M. MONTOYA, New Mexico JOHN J. FLYNT, Georgia NEAL SMITH, Iowa ROBERT N. GIAIMO, Connecticut JULIA BUTLER HANSEN, Washington EDWARD R. FINNEGAN, Illinois CHARLES S. JOELSON, New Jersey JOSEPH P. ADDABBO, New York JOHN J. McFALL, California BEN F. JENSEN, Iowa GERALD R. FORD, JR., Michigan HAROLD C. OSTERTAG, New York FRANK T. BOW, Ohio CHARLES RAPER JONAS, North Carolina MELVIN R. LAIRD, Wisconsin ELFORD A. CEDERBERG, Michigan JOHN J. RHODES, Arizona JOHN R. PILLION, New York ROBERT H. MICHEL, Illinois SILVIO O. CONTE, Massachusetts WILLIAM H. MILLIKEN, JR., Pennsylvania EARL WILSON, Indiana ODIN LANGEN, Minnesota WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, Wyoming BEN REIFEL, South Dakota LOUIS C. WYMAN, New Hampshire KENNETH SPRANKLE, Clerk and Staff Director (II) DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR 1965 MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 1964. Mr. MAHON. This morning we begin consideration of that large segment of the defense budget known as "Operation and Maintenance". O&M funds comprise about 26 percent of the total defense budget considered by this committee. It seems that any reductions in O&M funds proposed by the Executive or by the Congress are resisted more strenuously than reductions in any other area of the defense budget. I think we can understand that to some extent. Funds in this title of the bill support the actual operation and maintenance of the defense forces. The total O&M funds requested for fiscal year 1965 amount to $12,396 million. STATEMENT OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER) We have in previous years inserted a statement by the Comptroller of the Department of Defense, who is Assistant Secretary Charles Hitch. This is an over-all statement giving a rather extensive breakdown of the various budgetary items for Operation and Maintenance. We shall insert that statement in the record at this point and it will be a comprehensive reference for the committee in the consideration of these budget estimates. (The statement follows:) STATEMENT OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF DEFENSE (COMPTROLLER) Mr. Chairman and members of the committee; this opportunity to present an overall statement and supporting data as submitted in prior years describing the "Operation and Maintenance" appropriation requests for 1965 is indeed welcome. In this manner, we intend to preface the detailed statements and presentations that will be given subsequently by each of the service and defense agency spokesmen. This statement, therefore, will be concerned only with the major acrossthe-board matters and functions of title II or for the entire Department as may be appropriate. APPROPRIATION COVERAGE Title II is composed of 11 separate appropriations which provide for the day-today costs of the Defense Department. Upon the adequacy of these funds depend the effective size of our forces, their ability to react quickly and deploy effectively and their overall state of readiness. These funds also determine our capability to Sustain the achieved state of combat readiness of our forces and their weapons and supporting equipment. There is a direct relationship between these appropriations and the number and type of military facilities required by the forces and our ability to properly operate and maintain this valuable and necessary real property. Equally important, the availability of these funds determines the degree of care which can be afforded military personnel and their dependents during fiscal year 1965. (1) |