IIA 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 26 

Supporting a base Defense Budget that at the very minimum matches 4 

percent of gross domestic product. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 7, 2007 

Mrs. DOLE introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Armed Services 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Supporting a base Defense Budget that at the very minimum 

matches 4 percent of gross domestic product. 

Whereas the defense of the United States is contingent on 

fully equipped, fully armed, well trained, and healthy volunteer armed forces who must receive unconditional 

moral and monetary support from the Congress; 

Whereas the United States is engaged in a long war with 

those who employ terror and the operational theater is 

expanding; 

Whereas since the end of the Cold War, demands on the 

Armed Forces have increased at the same time the size 

of the force has decreased; 


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•SJ 26 IS 

Whereas the demands on the Reserve component and National Guard have significantly increased in both operations overseas and in the homeland; 

Whereas we cannot continue to commit our military forces 

with other assignments around the world without funds 

needed to carry out the missions they are assigned; 

Whereas the current equipment is being worn out and damaged and must be rebuilt or replaced; 

Whereas there is a broad consensus that there must be significant personnel increases in both the United States 

Army and Marine Corps, which are authorized to grow 

by 94,000 soldiers and Marines within the next 5 years; 

Whereas Congress must robustly fund the United States 

Army in order for the Army to undertake its first modernization program in nearly 40 years; 

Whereas the Navy has seen its fleet of 568 ships in the late 

1980’s shrink to just 276 in 2007; 

Whereas the number of fighter wing equivalents in the Air 

Force has dropped from 37 at the time of Operation 

Desert Storm to 20, and the average age of Air Force 

aircraft has risen from 9 years in 1973 to 24 years by 

2007; 

Whereas in constant FY2008 dollars, United States Air 

Force procurement has been cut by almost half between 

FY1985 and FY2006; 

Whereas in constant FY2008 dollars, U.S. Air Force Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (‘‘RDT & E’’) 

is projected to drop by half between FY2006 and 

FY2012; 


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•SJ 26 IS 

Whereas the defense budget is scheduled to drop in the coming years, to just 3.2 percent of gross domestic product 

by 2012; 

Whereas the United States should put economic policies in 

place that will grow gross domestic product to permit the 

United States to spend more on National defense in real 

dollar terms; 

Whereas a defense budget of 4 percent of gross domestic 

product is far lower than during the Cold War and almost a full percentage point lower than the ‘‘hollow 

force’’ era following the Vietnam War; and 

Whereas without maintaining a robust defense budget of no 

less than 4 percent of gross domestic product over the 

next 10 years, the United States will be unable to equip, 

train, and modernize a full-spectrum force to preserve 

America’s security: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 That it is the policy of the United States to commit a 

4 minimum of 4 percent of the Nation’s gross domestic 

5 product to the base defense budget in order to meet the 

6 fundamental National security requirements of the United 

7 States. 

Æ 


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