I 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4294 

To limit the end strength reductions for the regular component of the Army 

and Marine Corps and to ensure that the Secretary of the Army and 

the Secretary of the Navy are provided adequate resources in order 

to meet the National Security Strategy. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 28, 2012 

Mr. WEST introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Armed Services 

A BILL 

To limit the end strength reductions for the regular component of the Army and Marine Corps and to ensure that 

the Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the 

Navy are provided adequate resources in order to meet 

the National Security Strategy. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Limited End Strength 

5 Reduction Act of 2012’’. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4294 IH

1 SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON END STRENGTH REDUCTIONS FOR 

2 REGULAR COMPONENT OF THE ARMY AND 

3 MARINE CORPS. 

4 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find5 ings: 

6 (1) The President’s fiscal year 2013 budget re7 quest provides for a reduction in the end strength 

8 for the regular and reserve components of the 

9 Armed Forces by 31,300 members and anticipates 

10 an additional reduction of 92,600 members over the 

11 subsequent four years. 

12 (2) The pace and size of these proposed reduc13 tions are inappropriate while the United States is 

14 still engaged in armed conflict in Afghanistan and, 

15 if implemented, the reductions will undermine the 

16 ability of the Armed Forces to maintain a robust 

17 global security posture and increase security risks 

18 for the United States. 

19 (3) A reduction in force structure and end 

20 strength will subject members of the Armed Forces 

21 and their families to diminished dwell time, repeated 

22 deployments, and excessive stress when the assump23 tions upon which the reductions are based prove to 

24 be incorrect. 

25 (b) ANNUAL CERTIFICATION.—Subject to sub26 sections (c) and (d), if the President determines that a 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4294 IH

1 reduction in end strength of the regular component of the 

2 Army or Marine Corps (or both) is necessary for any of 

3 fiscal years 2014 through 2017, the President shall submit 

4 to Congress, with the budget request for that fiscal year, 

5 a certification that the reduction in end strength, should 

6 the assumptions of the National Security Strategy pre7 scribed by the President in the most recent annual na8 tional security strategy report under section 108 of the 

9 National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404a) prove to 

10 be incorrect, will not— 

11 (1) undermine the ability of the Armed Forces 

12 to meet the requirements of the National Security 

13 Strategy; 

14 (2) increase security risks for the United 

15 States; or 

16 (3) compel members of the Armed Forces to en17 dure diminished dwell time, and repeated deploy18 ments. 

19 (c) ANNUAL LIMITATION ON REDUCTIONS.— 

20 (1) ARMY.—The end strength of the regular 

21 component of the Army shall not be reduced by 

22 more than 15,000 members during each of fiscal 

23 years 2014 through 2017 from the end strength of 

24 the regular component of the Army at the end of the 

25 preceding fiscal year. 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4294 IH

1 (2) MARINE CORPS.—The end strength of the 

2 regular component of the Marine Corps shall not be 

3 reduced by more than 5,000 members during each 

4 of fiscal years 2014 through 2017 from the end 

5 strength of the regular component of the Marine 

6 Corps at the end of the preceding fiscal year. 

7 (d) BUDGETING REQUIREMENT.—The budget for the 

8 Department of Defense for each of fiscal years 2014 

9 through 2017 as submitted to Congress— 

10 (1) shall include amounts for maintaining an 

11 end strength of the regular component of the Army 

12 and the Marine Corps sufficient to comply with the 

13 active duty end strengths prescribed in section 

14 691(b) of title 10, United States Code; and 

15 (2) shall not rely on any emergency, supple16 mental, or overseas contingency operations funding. 

Æ 


jbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS