Sullivan Shares Statement on Bipartisan Budget Deal
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) today shared the following statement after Senate passage of the Bipartisan Budget Deal:
“For months, I have worked with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to find a path forward that adequately funds our government, gives our military men and women the resources they need to complete their missions, and ensures critical programs serving the American people remain funded and operational. This bipartisan deal, while far from perfect, allows that to happen and keeps the government open.
“Importantly, this legislation moves us away from a patchwork of short-term spending bills that severely undermine our military’s readiness and ability to protect our nation. It lifts the stranglehold sequestration has had on our Armed Forces, which resulted in a 25 percent cut to our military between 2010-2016. Those cuts have hampered our military’s ability to deter aggression and to respond to threats from countries like Russia and North Korea. This agreement paves the way for critical investments for our veterans, our nation’s aging infrastructure, community health centers, and efforts to combat our nation’s growing opioid epidemic – all priorities I’ve pushed for and ones shared by Alaskans and the American people. It also ensures the stationing of the F-35s at Eielson Air Force Base remains on track, and priorities I worked to secure within the FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act – missile defense, force structure increases, and troop pay raises – can be adequately funded.
“As I’ve repeatedly stated, the process by which we fund our federal government is broken and dysfunctional, and has been for a long time. Both political parties share responsibility for this. Addressing this challenge, this legislation importantly establishes a committee – which I advocated for – focused on addressing the root of this dysfunctional budgeting process and the fiscal challenges it creates.”
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