SEC. 2. LIMITATIONS ON END STRENGTH REDUCTIONS FOR 
REGULAR COMPONENT OF THE ARMY AND 
MARINE CORPS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) The President’s fiscal year 2013 budget re-
quest provides for a reduction in the end strength 
for the regular and reserve components of the 
Armed Forces by 31,300 members and anticipates 
an additional reduction of 92,600 members over the 
subsequent four years. 
(2) The pace and size of these proposed reduc-
tions are inappropriate while the United States is 
still engaged in armed conflict in Afghanistan and, 
if implemented, the reductions will undermine the 
ability of the Armed Forces to maintain a robust 
global security posture and increase security risks 
for the United States. 
(3) A reduction in force structure and end 
strength will subject members of the Armed Forces 
and their families to diminished dwell time, repeated 
deployments, and excessive stress when the assump-
tions upon which the reductions are based prove to 
be incorrect. 
(b) ANNUAL
CERTIFICATION.—Subject to sub-
sections (c) and (d), if the President determines that a 
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reduction in end strength of the regular component of the 
Army or Marine Corps (or both) is necessary for any of 
fiscal years 2014 through 2017, the President shall submit 
to Congress, with the budget request for that fiscal year, 
a certification that the reduction in end strength, should 
the assumptions of the National Security Strategy pre-
scribed by the President in the most recent annual na-
tional security strategy report under section 108 of the 
National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 404a) prove to 
be incorrect, will not— 
(1) undermine the ability of the Armed Forces 
to meet the requirements of the National Security 
Strategy; 
(2) increase security risks for the United 
States; or 
(3) compel members of the Armed Forces to en-
dure diminished dwell time, and repeated deploy-
ments. 
(c) ANNUAL LIMITATION ON REDUCTIONS.— 
(1) ARMY.—The end strength of the regular 
component of the Army shall not be reduced by 
more than 15,000 members during each of fiscal 
years 2014 through 2017 from the end strength of 
the regular component of the Army at the end of the 
preceding fiscal year. 
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(2) MARINE CORPS.—The end strength of the 
regular component of the Marine Corps shall not be 
reduced by more than 5,000 members during each 
of fiscal years 2014 through 2017 from the end 
strength of the regular component of the Marine 
Corps at the end of the preceding fiscal year. 
(d) BUDGETING REQUIREMENT.—The budget for the 
Department of Defense for each of fiscal years 2014 
through 2017 as submitted to Congress— 
(1) shall include amounts for maintaining an 
end strength of the regular component of the Army 
and the Marine Corps sufficient to comply with the 
active duty end strengths prescribed in section 
691(b) of title 10, United States Code; and 
(2) shall not rely on any emergency, supple-
mental, or overseas contingency operations funding. 
Æ 
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