Senate panel vote doesn’t stop drawdown

[unhappycamper]

Senate panel vote doesn’t stop drawdown
By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday May 1, 2008 20:35:37 EDT

The Senate Armed Services Committee turned down the Air Force’s request to stop the drawdown.

The May 1 vote — to approve the fiscal 2009 $612 billion Defense authorization bill — leaves the Senate panel’s counterpart, the House Armed Services Committee, as the Air Force’s next best hope for halting the cuts.

The Air Force declined to comment on the Senate decision or if the service will press the House for more airmen. “The Air Force will support whatever budget is presented,” said Air Force spokesman Capt. Tom Wenz.

The House may be more open to the idea of ending the drawdown.

Last year, the House Armed Services Committee directed the Air Force to come up with a personnel request based on the manpower needed to meet current and projected needs, not a personnel request based on staying with an already tight defense budget.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/05/airforce_end_strength_050108w/



uhc comment: $612,000,000,000 is "tight"? Can you guys get along on $735,700,000,000? --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=13019