January 15, 2021
How the Defense Budget Could Actually Increase (Slightly)
Conventional wisdom is that defense spending will be cut or remain flat under the next administration. There is certainly reason to think it might. The president’s Fiscal Year 2021 request indicates a flat budget over the next five years and the Democratic platform advocates a reduction in defense spending. It is a safe bet that President-elect Joe Biden’s budget request will reduce or maintain the defense budget. Once all is said and done, though, it is more likely that defense spending will end up growing rather than shrinking. However, there remain several potential political complications that could prevent the Pentagon from benefitting.
Once all is said and done, it is more likely that defense spending will end up growing rather than shrinking.
Reaching a bipartisan budget deal for FY2022 (along with passing all corresponding appropriations bills) will be a tumultuous and slow process whose conclusion is by no means certain. Should a budget deal be reached, it will likely include an increase, if only slight, to defense spending.
Read the full article from War on the Rocks.
More from CNAS
-
Protecting the Integrity of the National Guard
Posse comitatus, which is both a general principle and a criminal statute enshrined in the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA), dictates that there should be a clear separation between ...
By Claire Finkelstein
-
Preventing the Use of the National Guard to Evade the Posse Comitatus Act
Limitations on military involvement in civilian affairs have been a central feature of Anglo-American law for centuries. Armies are equipped and trained to vanquish enemies. I...
By Elizabeth Goitein
-
Why China’s Amphibious ‘Invasion Platforms’ Are Troubling Sign for Taiwan
Beijing’s new ships can land on beaches and link to form massive mobile piers. Analysts, including Tom Shugart from Center for a New American Security, say they’re intended to...
By Tom Shugart
-
Better Positioning the National Guard for 21st-Century Engagements
Carrie F. Cordero is the Robert M. Gates senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) where she leads the Securing U.S. Democracy Initiative. The National Gu...
By Carrie Cordero