Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin
On the military and economic importance of passing a national budget on time:
“Secretary Austin, multiple sources, including retired generals, the National Defense Industrial Association, the American Enterprise Institute and your colleague Mr. McCord have all recognized the damage of failing to pass a national budget on time to both our national security and taxpayers,” Senator Manchin said in part. “From Fiscal Years 1991 to 2010, the average delay for defense appropriations was 29 days, and that has since ballooned out to 118 days…If we, as Congress, did our job on time, we’re told we could save between 5 and 10% of the budget request you have. Is that an accurate statement?”
On ensuring weapons accountability and strategic oversight in U.S. assistance to Ukraine:
“Since the beginning of Putin’s illegal war in Ukraine, the United States has provided over $76 billion in justified funding to support Ukraine, both in the military defense of their people and also in humanitarian and infrastructure support. Can you speak to your confidence in U.S. and NATO weapons accountability and elaborate on the Joint Strategic Oversight Plan that was announced earlier this year by the DoD, the State Department and USAID?” Senator Manchin continued.