“This bill continues the committee’s commitment to restoring the readiness of our military as its first priority,” said Skelton, “Our military is under strain after six years of combat and five years of fighting on two fronts.- House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton

Last year during a Congressional junket to Guam, Chairman Skelton said our military readiness was dependent on spending billions of dollars on infrastructure in the all important, strategic island nation of Guam. Now Skelton tells us our military readiness will be strengthened by cutting “futuristic” weapons programs. I bet our soldiers in the first Gulf war who unleashed smart bombs and laser guided missiles on Sadam, are glad Skelton wasnt head of the Armed Service Committe in the ’70’s.

From CQ Politics:

The House Armed Services Committee began a long markup of a $531.4 billion fiscal 2009 defense authorization bill Wednesday, seeking to shift billions from futuristic technology programs towards readiness and health care for troops.

In addition to its core provisions, the bill would authorize $70 billion for fiscal 2009 war operations. It would increase contractor accountability, mandate more detailed reporting from Iraq and Afghanistan, and shift financial responsibility to the Iraqi government. Read more…

From MOPNS: (5/21/07)

Several earmarks are for chapels on military bases, including one at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., requested by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.). The request is for $10 million. Apart from the funding request for the chapel, Skelton has only one other request: $25 million for training-based collaborative research also at the Fort Leonard Wood Institute.

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