Congressman Jeff Miller Questions Proposed Air Force Test And Evaluation Cuts
Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Jeff Miller (R-FL-01) today inserted language into the National Defense Authorization Act that reinforces Congress' support for the Test and Evaluation mission in the Department of Defense.
"This language makes it crystal clear that Congress does not want the Air Force Test and Evaluation Mission to be compromised," said Miller. "This is a Northwest Florida issue, but it is also a national security issue."
Congressman Miller attached language to the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act that reinforces the Director of the Test Resource Management Center's access to Air Force information before a move of or cut in the Test and Evaluation missions can take place. Further report language in the bill notes that the 2010 funding for Test and Evaluation is $57.9 million below last year's level and notes that such a lack of funding could "negatively impact numerous critical Department of Defense programs." "Eglin has assets that are not replicated anywhere else," Miller added.
"It took forty years and hundreds of millions of dollars to create the most advance test facilities in the world. It doesn't make good sense, for the military or the taxpayer, to make a short-sighted, knee-jerk funding decision when we are funding billions in bailouts."
The FY 2010 National Defense Authorization Act must still be taken up by the full House Armed Services Committee. The Committee is expected to take up the measure later this month.
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