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The eyes of Beijing, Moscow and Tehran are now on Washington. Leaders in each capital want to determine whether our democratic institutions can overcome challenges to the basic functions of government, including funding the military.
In December, President Biden signed the annual defense bill, authorizing more than $840 billion for the Department of Defense to protect our country and support our troops and military families. The bill passed Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. But Congress has not yet passed the funding the Defense Department needs to implement the law.
As a result, nearly halfway through the fiscal year, the U.S. military is now operating under a fourth extension of stopgap funding measures, which are themselves half-hearted measures. Their limitations rob us of critical time to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world. That time is used by the People’s Republic of China, Russia, and Iran to modernize their militaries, intimidate our neighbors, and try to surpass us. No amount of money can get you back that time.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and President Biden (Bloomberg via Getty Images | AP Photo)
Failure to fund the Department of Defense in accordance with the annual defense bill will have serious implications for America’s national security, economy, global standing, and democracy.
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Chinese leaders will appreciate that U.S. shipyards are not rushing to deliver cutting-edge submarines and that U.S. industry is not producing the long-range weapons needed for the military. They will breathe a sigh of relief when they see that we are under-investing in resilient space architecture and cyber and electronic warfare capabilities.
And as they struggle to root out corruption in China’s military and make it as professional and skilled as America’s all-volunteer military, they believe that the U.S. military has the training, maintenance, infrastructure, barracks, housing, and the I would be happy to see them being demoralized by not adequately funding their salaries. Required by service members.
Compounding these challenges, the United States risks strategic default on aid to Ukraine by not passing additional emergency national security funding. Without such funds, it would no longer be a question of whether President Vladimir Putin, backed by North Korea and Iran, would be free to rewrite Europe’s borders with impunity; it would be an absolute certainty. It will be.
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The strategic risks are clear. Unless he is stopped, President Putin’s desire for control will not be satisfied. Which NATO country will be next? And in the Pacific, Beijing will take notice of American inaction as the People’s Republic of China’s pressure campaign against Taiwan continues unabated.
Equally unreasonable is the investment in American jobs, American businesses, and American productive capacity by replenishing American supplies that have been or will be provided to support Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan. What we have so far failed to do is to do so.
These investments are at the heart of the president’s additional requests, with nearly 60% of them going to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. Our military personnel must deter and defeat the threats we face now and in the foreseeable future, from the Red Sea and the Middle East to strategic competition with China.
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Our competitors want to divide America. But our fellow citizens want our elected officials to be bold and bipartisan in supporting our military, our allies, and our ideals. Our private sector wants to improve its standing among the world’s best in innovation and free enterprise, and continue to invest in American jobs.
As Americans, we believe that only one nation on earth can provide the serious leadership that this moment demands. But with this belief comes a responsibility to act. In the global struggle between democracy and authoritarianism, can Americans expect their leaders to unite?
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Authoritarian repression and nationalist economies stifle innovation and prosperity just as they stifle freedom. We know American democracy is the better option. We know it can lead to better results. And we know that Congress shares these views. Even though time has passed, there is still time to act.
The whole world is watching. The same goes for history.
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