WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� An effort to ramp up will require a massive upfront investment, President Donald Trump’s budget director told a House committee Wednesday.
The testimony from Russell Vought jump-starts the White House’s push to to nearly $1.5 trillion in the , up from nearly $1 trillion this year, while cutting health research, heating assistance and scores of other domestic programs by about 10% overall. Such cuts do not cover mandatory spending, which includes such programs as Social Security and Medicare.
The debate over Trump’s proposal underscored the sharp divide that will shape some of the most significant policy debates going into a that will give voters the ultimate say on the direction of the country.
鈥淔or the industrial base to double or triple and build more facilities, not just add shifts, it requires multiyear agreements to purchase into the future,鈥� Vought told lawmakers. 鈥淭hat cost has to be booked in this first year.鈥�
The White House is calling for about $1.1 trillion for defense through the regular appropriations process, which typically requires support from both parties for approval. An additional $350 billion would come through a separate bill that Republicans can accomplish on their own, through party-line majority votes.
Rep. Brendan Boyle of Pennsylvania, the ranking Democratic member of the committee, said he believes in a strong national defense. But he said the idea of increasing defense by more than 40% while cutting programs that people need shows that the Republican administration’s priorities are “out of whack.鈥�
The committee chairman, Rep. Jodey Arrington predicted the hearing would be more 鈥渁mped up鈥� than usual, and that proved to be true, beginning with his opening statement focused on criticizing Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency. Arrington, R-Texas, said he did not know of any president in his lifetime who 鈥渋nherited such a complete and utter mess as President Trump did in January of last year.鈥�
Since then, Arrington said, Trump has secured the border, cut taxes and constrained nondefense spending.
It was the beginning of several back-and-forths at the hearing.
鈥淵ou know how bad this economy is when we hear Joe Biden being invoked, we hear trans people being invoked. I was waiting for Jimmy Carter to be blamed next,” Boyle said in response to Arrington’s opening remarks.
Boyle said consumer confidence is plummeting under Trump and noted a gas station he passed in Philadelphia recently was at $4.11 a gallon versus less than $3 a gallon some six weeks ago because of Trump’s 鈥渨ar of choice in Iran.鈥�
Rep. Becca Balint, D-Vt., called the proposed defense spending increase shocking.
鈥淲e’ve never in the history of this country seen spending like this, paid for by slashing health care, education and housing,鈥� Balint said. 鈥淢r. Vought, yes or no, is $350 billion for the war in Iran lowering costs for Americans?鈥�
鈥淚t is certainly not defunding child care. We fully fund child care in this budget,鈥� Vought said, not directly answering the question.
Balint went on to incorporate Trump’s 鈥淎merica First鈥� mantra in her questioning.
She said $350 billion could pay for an for 10 years and that her constituents are asking how the country can continue to spend money on wars and not find a solution to helping people afford health care.
Vought said the president has made clear he was not going to let have a nuclear weapons, missiles and a navy that affect U.S. national security.
鈥淗e is doing what is necessary to keep us safe, while at the same time trying to pursue diplomacy so that we can get out of wars and lower those costs over time,鈥� Vought said.
Vought said it was unclear how much the administration would seek to fund the war during the current budget year, which ends Sept. 30. That money would be part of an emergency supplemental spending bill and would be on top of the funds the White House is seeking to boost defense spending next year.
鈥淲ould it be more than $50 billion?鈥� asked Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas.
鈥淲e’re still working on it,” Vought said. 鈥淚 don’t have a ballpark for you.鈥�
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