A question about the military's budget.

[Raven]

Mr. Bush said today that the proposed budget would force the military to move money around...essentially to rob Peter to pay Paul...i.e. we'll have to keep soldiers longer, send them back earlier, shortchange them on "quality of life" stuff. The man could not have been more venal...but, when money is moved from one dedicated Pentagon account to another (otherwise called a "budget transfer" or "account transfer" in my world), does someone at the White House have to sign off on it? What I'm wondering is, is there some budget control of these things in the Executive Department so that the accountability can be laid right in this bastard's lap? In other words, can Congress be in a position to say, "we've funded the troops but we have just put timelines on their presence in Iraq...if the President decides to move money from protective vests and other safety items to prolonging this war, that is his decision alone." Is there a way to do that?

[Igel]

1. I think I know what you're talking about.

It's if the supplemental budget allocation is vetoed, and a new one isn't passed in time.

There are accounts in which the money is fixed; it can't go anywhere. There are accounts, however, that the executive branch can move money into and out of. There is only so much money in those accounts.

One of those accounts involves money for training.

There is a process that I've seen outlined in the press for transferring the money. The DoD makes an evaluation and recommendation, the budget office has to investigate it and then sign off on it and then it goes to some more neutral party for approval, I forget the name of the entity. Each step takes time. They'd have to start the paperwork moving in mid-May, at the earliest.

But this is the process if there's no supplemental approved by Congress and signed by *. IIRC, if all the hoops are jumped through, and all the signatures are obtained, I think the estimate is the money runs out in mid-late July.

[Raven]

2. Is there any point in the process you outlined where

the President or someone under him has to sign off? If there needs to be a $$$ transfer, does the WH get involved?